Russia restricts flights of Georgian Airways to Moscow

MOSCOW/TBILISI, Jul 17 (PRIME) -- The Transport Ministry has restricted flights of Georgian Airways to Moscow in retaliation for Tbilisis’ failure to coordinate flights of Russia’s Ural Airlines from Moscow’s Zhukovsky airport to Georgia, a representative of the ministry told PRIME on July 15.

“The ministry confirms information about restriction of flights of the Georgian airline from Tbilisi to Moscow. This restriction is retaliation,” the representative said, adding that the Georgian aviation authorities have been prohibiting Ural Airlines from carrying out four flights a week from Zhukovsky to Tbilisi during the summer since May.

“The Georgian aviation authorities have to fulfill their oligations to the Russian side and approve these flights of Ural Airlines,” the representative said.

Georgian Airways Deputy CEO Robert Oganesyan said that the ban will hurt the company. “I cannot say exactly how many millions it will cost, as we have to calculate that thoroughly, including the cost of hotels, compensations and so on,” he said without specifying the currency of financial damages.

The airline will have to cancel all flights to Moscow until the end of October, he said.

CEO Givi Davitashvili said that the problems with the Zhukovsky airport is not the only reason for the bank.

“The dispute occurred because we think that the airport of Zhukovsky is the airport of Moscow and is not different from others. Second, airlines held no negotiations about the airport, and third – the Russian side has already banned our flights to Kazan in the dispute with the Zhukovsky airport,” he said.

Moscow and Tbilisi coordinated that airlines of both countries have to carry out 21 flights a week between the capitals long ago. “This is why the decision of the Russian side was unexpected… competition may be one of the reasons for it, it is probably part of the Russian policy. We – representatives of the airlines – see it like business, but, as we saw, the Russian side sees not just business in it, but also politics,” Davitashvili said.

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