YAKUTSK, October 8. /TASS/. Under a pilot project, launched in Yakutia in early 2021, to cut airport fees and to implement other incentives for passengers traveling from Ust-May to Yakutsk, the air fares dropped by 60%. However, the program could continue only if the loss of income is subsidized, Airports of the North’s Deputy Director General Andrei Medvedev told reporters.
In Yakutia, only 15% of the population live in districts, where year-round transport is available, and more than 90% of the territory may be accessed during certain seasons only. For most settlements the civil aviation is the only year-round transport, which serves more than 80% of the regional passenger flow.
"Jointly with the Polar Airlines we have implemented this year a project from the airport in Ust-May (a town some 420 km from Yakutsk and 200 km from the Northern hemisphere’s pole of cold; population - about 2,500 - TASS)," the company’s representative said. "We have chosen it as an airport which currently does not serve regular flights. Our offer was to set a minimum fare, comparable with ground transport’s fees."
The company unites 28 airports and three runways in the region, he added.
Under the program, Airports of the North has cut airport fees. The carrier also has offered lower costs. "We have dropped passenger fares by three times. At about six flights we had only 40-44% seats were taken. The flights were unprofitable," Medvedev said. "We would like to see further joint work between the air company and the [regional] government in additional financing, subsidies and compensations for the loss of income under the program."
According to him, Yakutia presently offers a program to compensate for 50% of cargo transportation if a company works with Airports of the North. The incentive is available for companies making at least 15 flights a month. This program is mostly of demand among companies, which transport food products to Northern villages, he said.
Airports’ upgrade
Yakutia’s Minister of Transport Vladimir Sivtsev told reporters the region has been upgrading 16 of existing 32 airfields and airports under a comprehensive plan to renovate and expand the infrastructures. The region has 170 aviation pads, but only eleven of them are equipped with light signals. The regional communication gets terminated over polar night periods. During the upgrade, some airports will get new runway coating and new terminals. The program’s cost is about 28 billion rubles ($390 million).
"Yakutia sees it necessary to revive regional airlines," the minister said. "We will review the concept in the first quarter of 2022. We are open for suggestions."
The region’s districts require additional financing to serve the pads, to buy equipment and to keep the runways in working conditions in wet seasons.
According to the regional government, two regional airlines - Yakutia and Polar Airlines - have the fleet of 30 aircraft. About 85% of the flights serve passengers: in pre-pandemic 2019, the companies served 246,000 passengers within the region.
Affecting factors
Ivan Lukin, Chairman of Yakutia’s Association of Regional Airlines, said a lack of modern aircraft, high costs to serve the outdated fleet are the factors that affect the freedom of traveling for the locals and the vital social and economic development in the Arctic zone.
"The biggest problem the regional airlines are facing is the lack of aircraft to replace (Antonov) A-2, which are morally and physically outdated," he said. "As far as I know, the Baikal aircraft are due not earlier than in 2025. As a rule, new aircraft for a year or two are used for cargo transportation. Thus, Baikal’s passenger routes may begin from 2026-2027. We won’t manage without imported aircraft."
The region must have a leasing program to buy regional aircraft, he added. "The current situation is such that the regional leasing company does not support buying transport means," he said. "We want the company to change the list of products for lease. This question will be solved at the federal level. As of now, the company focuses on various equipment for small and medium businesses," he said.
The Baikal project’s development began in 2019. The aircraft will replace the outdated An-2 light multipurpose aircraft. The Baikal prototype tests are scheduled for the end of 2021, low-temperature tests are planned for 2023 in Yakutia. The aircraft’s key parameters meet requirements for regional airlines: the payload of two tons, flight range - 1,500 kilometers, cruising speed - 300 km/h, takeoff from unpaved lanes from 250 meters.