DUSHANBE, August 7, Asia-Plus — Tajik State Air Company TajikAir has lowered passenger fares on some flights to the Russian Federation..
The Tajik national air carrier said the new rate went into effect August 4 on the route from Dushanbe to St. Petersburg. A ticket for the flight, previously $339, now costs $319. The source did not say what the cost of passenger fare from St. Petersburg to Tajikistan is.
It is to be noted that the introduction of the new rate is connected with a seasonal decrease in passenger traffic from Dushanbe to Russia and seasonal increase in passenger traffic from Russia to Dushanbe. Tajik labor migrants staying in the Russian Federation usually return home in the autumn, and therefore the demand for tickets on the routes from Russian cities to Dushanbe increases during this season. In order to avoid losses and attract passengers TajikAir lowers prices of air tickets on the flights to Russia in late summer and autumn.”
Nazira Davlatova, a spokeswoman for TajikAir, told Asia-Plus that alongside the economic and business class rates the Tajik national airline also offers youth, student and family rates 2, 15, 30, and 60 days before flights, which have certain discounts.
Commenting on formation of rates, the spokeswoman said that regulation of rates is used for providing commercial passenger traffic and efficiency of air carriages, as well as covering the company’s expenses and getting profit for further development of its activity. According to her, the main item of expenses is fuel, which accounts for 50%-60% percent of the air ticket price.
Davlatova noted that although the present rates allow TajikAir covering the rising expenses on the whole, the obtained profit is not enough to provide further development of the company.
Specialists from the air carrier say it is becoming more and more difficult for them compete with other companies operating flights to Tajikistan; the volume of passenger carriages is decreasing year in, and other air companies are gaining Tajikistan’s market of air carriages.
