In the conditions of subsidized domestic flights, passengers pay a symbolic price for the ticket - the financial and administrative manager of "AK Air Georgia" Irina Mghebrishvili told TV program "Business Morning".
According to her, domestic flights are associated with very high costs, and it is necessary to revise the prices under the conditions of the new tender.
"In this period, the state subsidy amounts to 61-62%, while the amount paid by the passenger is 38-39%. I consider it as a symbolic price. But, many Georgian citizens will not agree with me and say that they can fly to Thessaloniki for GEL 90.
The country is small, aviation is quite an expensive sector. The level of service and security is so high that maintenance programs are very expensive. The main thing is that the frequency should be very high. Now, the only direction we have is Mestia, where the average annual load is within 90%. Also, during summer a load to Batumi reached 90-100%, but the average annual load in this direction totals to 75%. The load on the Ambrolauri direction has also increased. There was a period when we fulfilled a flight once a week, because there were no passengers, and this fall, we made flights 3 times a week and the load reached 60%. The load is increasing, but the price needs to be reviewed," Mghebrishvili told TV-program "Business Morning".
