DUSHANBE, August 25, 2010, Asia-Plus — Total debts of Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, to companies that were, until recently, part of Tajik Air have increased to 53 million somoni (equivalent to some 12 million U.S. dollars), according to the Tajik Air press service.
Tajik Air now owes more than 25 million somoni to Dushanbe International Airport alone. The national air carrier also owes debts to Tajikaeronavigatsiya (air navigation) and the Fuel-Supply Company.
The Tajik Air press service says the company’s debts have risen from 44 million somoni to 53 million somoni due to incorrect pricing policy of Dushanbe International Airport.
“Dushanbe International Airport has repeatedly announced that it will give a 50-percent discount on all its services, but actually, instead of discounts we have got rise in tariffs of some services rendered by the airport,” the source said.
Representatives from Dushanbe International Airport has confirmed that they changed tariffs of services for both local and foreign air carriers. However, he refrained from giving further details, saying that it is a commercial secret.
In the meantime, the Antimonopoly Committee says that Dushanbe International Airport began to give the 50-percent discounts starting on August 20.
We will recall that until 2008, Tajik Air had an absolute monopoly in Tajikistan’s air transport, owning all planes, airports, and airport and flight services. As a result of restructuring, Tajik Air was split up into several separate companies.
