Georgian Airways, TAV Georgia Disagreement Continues

A confrontation between the Georgian airline company Georgian Airways and the Turkish company TAV Georgia, representing the only operator of Tbilisi and Batumi International Airports, is ongoing.

Georgian Airways claims that TAV Georgia, which is eligible to manage Tbilisi International Airport until 2027, has imposed unimaginably high taxes and is in this way oppressing the Georgian airline company.

“No other European country has the kind of taxation system imposed by TAV Georgia. The administration of Georgian Airways is assured of the impossibility of appropriate functioning and further advancement of Georgian aviation under the management of TAV Georgia. The annual net profit of TAV Georgia amounts to more than 400 million GEL. However, as a result, we represent the country with the worst airport in the region, while the conditions at the Batumi International airport are simply intolerable,” reads the statement of Georgian Airways, published on March 7.

The local company focuses on the refusal of TAV Georgia to reduce the fees and argues that the only aim of this decision is to put Georgian Airways out of business and steal from the clientele.

TAV Georgia released a statement on March 11 answering the accusations of the Georgian company, stating that Georgian Airways has a debt amounting to more than 9 million GEL and despite the flexible payment schedule offered by TAV Georgia, it refuses to fulfill the liabilities.

“If Georgian Airways does not fulfill its financial obligations, TAV Georgia will be forced to restrict its use of the airport services and infrastructure,” reads the TAV Georgia statement .

Georgian Airways is to hold a protest rally against TAV Georgia on the territory of the Tbilisi International Airport on March 12, at 15:00.

By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya

Image source: tbilisiairport.com

Related story: Georgian Airways Confronts TAV Georgia over Ticket Prices