All news

Air fares to grow 6 prcnt in 2012, says official

Steps have been taken recently to stabilize the situation in the market of jet kerosene

MOSCOW, January 18 (Itar-Tass) — Air fares in Russia will most likely grow at a rate parallel to inflation this year, or by 6%, believes Alexander Neradko, the director of the Federal Service for Civil Aviation /Rosaviatsiya/.

“In the first place, the price of an air ticket depends on the price of fuel,” he says in an interview published by the Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily.

“Steps have been taken recently to stabilize the situation in the market of jet kerosene,” Neradko says. “The government cuts short the attempts at hiking its prices groundlessly. I hope we’ll manage to the keep the situation under control in that sphere.”

“The second important element is the airport duties,” he says. “Much is done today to minimize them along with the cutting down of the security fees.”

“There was a stage after a series of terrorist acts when the tightened up all the demands in terms of security of flights,” Neradko says. “Now the understanding has come that the fixed security equipment is excessive in the small airports of the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas and the Far East and its less expensive compact analogues can be used instead.”

“Amendments on this have been drafted and they will help cut down the fees for security in the regions where air transportation is developed least of all,” he said.

“A proposal has been made to introduce security category No. 5 at the airports, a less expensive one,” Neradko said. “Assignment of security categories to airports is underway now.”