DUSHANBE, February 5, Asia-Plus — Losses incurred by Tajik national air carrier TajikAir from temporary ban on flights to Russia have amounted to $30,000, Rustam, Rustamov, the deputy head of the TajikAir resource management unit, announced at a briefing in Dushanbe on February 4.
The briefing was organized to clarify the situation connected with the ban on flights by TajikAir to Russia and compensatory fees.
According to Rustamov, they received radiogram from Russia”s Federal Air Transport Agency on imposing the ban on February 2. The radiogram, in particular, said that the ban was imposed “due to repeated violations of Russian air carriers” rights by Tajik authorities.”
The TajikAir administration discussed the radiogram and submitted it for consideration to the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC). In radiogram sent to the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency, the Tajik side noted that it would introduce adequate measures against Russian air companies operating flights to Tajikistan, the TajikAir official said.
“As a result of long negotiations we reached a temporary agreement on lifting the ban,” Rustamov said.
“However, despite this agreement, Tajik plane, which was making flight from Khujand to Moscow on Saturday night, was returned and losses incurred by Tajik national air carrier from this amounted to some $30,000,” Rustamov said, adding that two planes flying from Moscow and Orienburg to Dushanbe were accepted without any problems.
“We have received an official confirmation from the Russian side about accepting our proposals only by midnight of February 2,” Rustamov said
Commenting on reports released by some Russian media that the Tajik side has allegedly violated rights of Russia’s carriers, the TajikAir official noted that all companies pay compensatory fees $10.00 on air routes, where services of Tajik state air company are not available, except Russia’s air carrier Sibir. Sibir’s debt for compensation payments has to date reached $70,000, according to him.
According to him, compensation payments will be canceled if Tajik airlines are allowed to operate flights to all cities of the Russian Federation. “At present we are technically ready to operate flights to Orienburg, Krasnodar and Nizhny Novgorod and will continue negotiations with out Russian counterparts,” Rustamov said.
As it was reported yesterday, Russia has lifted a temporary ban on the flights of Tajik national air carrier.
Russia suspended the flights of all Tajik airlines to Russia on February 2. The ban was imposed in response of Tajikistan’s making restrictions on flights of Russian airlines.
According to Russian media, Tajik authorities, in particular, charged Russian airlines for operating flights on air routes, where services of Tajik state air company TajikAir were not available. Under a resolution adopted in September 2007, Russian airlines must pay compensatory fees for each passenger to the Tajik budget ($10.00 per each arriving and leaving passenger). In the case of refusal to pay the compensatory fees, the Tajik side reserved the right to not let air carriers enter Tajikistan’s air space, Russia’s RBK Daily said, noting that Tajik government adopted such a resolution in September 2007.
In response to this measure, Russian authorities on Saturday suspended flights of Tajik national air carrier to Russia. The ban was lifted the same day as the problem was resolved by midnight.
According to Itar-Tass, Russia and Tajikistan will now have two weeks of consultations to exempt Russian airlines from the compensatory fees.
