Georgian Airways Confronts TAV Georgia over Ticket Prices
The airline company Georgian Airways has confronted the company that manages Tbilisi International Airport, TAV Georgia, and declared that the company's fee is unreasonably high, preventing Georgian Airways from reducing ticket prices.
According to Georgian Airways, last year, for transporting 182,506 passengers from Tbilisi International Airport, they paid TAV Georgia more than 15 million GEL.
The airline company says that if TAV Georgia charged them less per passenger, they would be able to reduce ticket prices.
“As we know, the fee per passenger in Kutaisi airport, which is managed by the state, is $3, while we pay far more to TAV Georgia. If Kutaisi airport has low prices, why can't the same be done in Tbilisi?” Givi Davitashvili, Director General of the Georgian Airways stated.
TAV Georgia, which is a Turkish Company, has the right to manage Tbilisi Airport until 2027. TAV Georgia says that in 2017 they served 375,325 customers of Georgian Airways and not 182,506, as the airline company claims.
TAV Georgia says their fee per passenger is $16, and added that they offer a special payment schedule to Georgian Airways in the winter period, when passenger traffic is low.
The Union of Airports Ltd, whose owner is the state and whose duty it is to develop civil airports and comfortable services and infrastructure in the country, says TAV Georgia has managing rights at Tbilisi International Airport until 2027 and they cannot interfere in the dispute between TAV Georgia and Georgian Airways.
TAV Georgia entered Tbilisi International Airport in 2005 with a 15-year management contract. The company invested $62 million to build a new airport in Tbilisi, which opened in 2007.
Popular Hungarian discount airline Wizz Air operates out of Kutaisi, taking advantage of lower fees.
By Thea Morrison
Photo: Tbilisi International Airport
Source: Netgazeti
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