DUSHANBE, July 9, 2010, Asia-Plus — Tajik Air has broken terms of an agreement concluded with Fuel-Supply Company, and therefore, we had to introduced drastic measures against it, the Fuel-Supply Company top manager Muhabbatsho Abdulkhayev said in an interview with Asia-Plus.
“A statement by Tajik national air carrier that we intentionally undermine its image is baseless,” Abdulkhayev said. According to him, they informed Tajik Air in advance that they will stop serving Tajik Air’s planes if the national carrier does not repay its debts.
“As of July 1, Tajik Air owed 15 million somoni in arrears to our company,” Abdulkhayev said, noting that they had sent several notices to Tajik Air. “However, in response to our notices, they have just sent a letter of commitment that they will repay debts by a certain date.”
“Tajik Air did not take any steps until we introduced drastic measures,” said the Fuel-Supply Company head, “Tajik Air has managed to repay 5 million somoni and they now owe 9 million somoni to us, and the debts are mounting day by day.”
“We do not purpose to stop work of Tajik Air and we are always ready for dialogue. Tajik Air has promised to repay the existing debt of 9 million somoni until July 15,” Abdulkhayev said.
According to the fuel-supply company, it sells fuel to all air companies, including Tajik Air, at unit rate. Since July 1, 2010, the price of one ton of aviation petrol is 1,330 U.S. dollars; earlier, it had been 1,150 U.S. dollars. According to the company, the price hike has resulted from Russia’s decision to raise customs duties for aviation petrol exports to Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan.
We will recall that on July 7, aircraft of the Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, departed for the cities of Yekaterinburg (Russia), St. Petersburg (Russia), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), and Khujand (Tajikistan) with considerable delay because the ground crews were late refueling the planes.
According to the state unitary enterprise, International Airport Dushanbe, the main reason for delays was Tajik Air’s debts to open joint-tock company (OJSC) Fuel-Supply Company.
In the meantime, Tajik Air says the flights were delayed intentionally. “We do not deny that we owe money to the fuel-supply company but the debt is being repaid in accordance with schedule endorsed by the sides,” said the spokesperson for Tajik Air, “The sides also agreed that Tajik Air’s planes will be refueled opportunely.”
According to the spokesperson, image of the national air carrier is being undermined by the fuel-supply company and the Dushanbe airport, which had recently been parts of Tajik Air, intentionally. “Passengers who were picketing the building of Tajik Air were voicing rumors circulated by the Dushanbe airport managers – Tajik Air has allegedly become bankrupt and it is necessary to buy tickets for flights operated by other air companies,” she said.
The situation was put right the same day and all flights are now operated by Tajik Air in accordance with schedule.
