ArmInfo.The coronavirus crisis made it possible to create something new, to use the opportunity to be 10 steps ahead, said Tatevik Revazyan, Head of the Civil Aviation Committee (CAC), speaking about the agreement on the formation of a national air carrier, signed recently by the Armenian National Interests Fund (ANIF) and Air Arabia Group.
"Before deciding to cooperate with Air Arabia, we took into account the experience of air carriers from all over the world, developed criteria and received an application from Air Arabia. I'm glad we did it, as we take a well-functioning budget business model. After all, 80% of air travel in Europe operates on a budget model, "she added.
Revazyan explained that based on the model of Air Arabia's functioning, its experience, knowledge, infrastructures, aircraft, an airline will be formed to serve the Armenian market, which will be registered in the Republic of Armenia. At the same time, she stressed that with the entry of Air Arabia into the Armenian market, standards in the Armenian aviation will rise, including those related to security.
Answering the question about the pricing policy of Air Arabia, the head of the CAC explained that the low- cost airline, first of all, will do everything to reduce its costs, which will allow, without losing competitiveness, to offer low fares in certain directions. In this context, Revazyan said that the newly formed air carrier will not have a business class.
The head of the Committee also said that the national air carrier will operate flights to all priority directions for Armenia, the maximum duration of which is 5.5 hours.
Referring to the results of the meeting of acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Argentine- Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, she noted that in view of the formation of a national air carrier, it is possible that there will be a need to expand the capacity of Zvartnots international airport. It is planned that the newly created national air carrier will start operating flights next year. It should be reminded that in 2013 Armenia was left without a national air carrier due to the bankruptcy of Armavia, after which Air Armenia left the country's aviation market, unable to withstand competition with Russian carriers. To note, Air Arabia is an Arab low-cost airline that was established in 2009, headquartered in Sharjah, operating in the market for passenger transportation from Sharjah and Alexandria airports, as well as from four airports in Morocco, to the Middle East, South -East Asia, Europe and the CIS. The airline is the first low-cost airline in the Middle East, and operates flights to 89 cities around the world. The airline has its own subsidiaries - Air Arabia Egypt in Alexandria (Egypt) and Air Arabia Maroc in Casablanca.
