Georgian carrier claims heavy losses (230 words)

Published: 2/26/2001

Following complaints from the Georgian authorities about the share of passengers being carried by Russian airlines between Tiblisi and Moscow. Airzena, the Georgian flag carrier, has suspended its daily flights to Moscow's Vnukovo Airport. Flights have ceased as of the 26th February stating that the visa regime between the two countries introduced on the 5th of December has caused a dramatic decline in traffic with load factors on the airline's 737s dipping to 20%. According to the airline losses to date are $800,000 and the airline has put the staff involved on the route on unpaid leave. The laid off workers according to reports, threatening to block the runway at Tiblisi to prevent the two Russian carriers on the route, Aeroflot and Aviaexpresscruise, from operating out of Tiblisi. The accusation that Georgian passengers travelling with Russia airline get quicker visa clearance from the Russian authorities has also been repeated. With the claim that Georgian airline passengers could wait up to two weeks compared with a day for the passengers of Aeroflot. The accusation has however, been denied by both the Russian authorities and the airlines. The latter claiming that better service is the reason for the shift of passengers. Giving the Russian s load factors of 60% and 800 passengers a week compared with the reported 300-400 carried by Georgian carriers including Airzena's daily service.

Article ID: 2377