At least three national air carriers will operate in Armenia to stiffen competition in the field of air transportation, Artyom Movsisyan, Head of the Chief Aviation
Department of Armenia told media, Thursday.
The Government adopted a conception to liberalize the air transportation field, Thursday, he said. Movsisyan said that the Department will announce tenders for flights for Armenian air carries within the coming months. In line with the adopted conception, the national air carriers will enjoy no privileges or exclusive rights unlike Armavia. (Armavia grounded flights on April 1 2013 and launched bankruptcy procedure). He said that there are nearly 10-12 air companies in the country, but only half of them are licensed to
organize passenger transportation. The terms of the tenders are technical state of aircrafts, ticket sale systems, flight security and financial stability of companies. The tenders will be for the flights to the main destinations, including Moscow, Movsisyan said. In addition, he said, the Department studies tenders also for the flights to Europe, CIS, Russia and Middle East. He said joint ventures of local and nonresident companies are also possible, but the Armenian companies must hold 51% of shares.
Movsisyan hopes that liberalization of air traffic in Armenia will stiffen competition and reduce ticket prices. During discussions quite contradictory views were voiced starting from 100% government share in the capital of national air carrier up to the open sky principle. The latter is inadmissible at the given stage as Armenia still lacks national air companies, he said. Therefore, the air traffic market will be liberalized gradually. The first stage will take 5 years, which is enough for return of investments, Movsisyan
said. The conception implies an agreement with the EU for joining the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA), he said.