Tajik civil aviation authorities claim they against rise in air ticket prices

A source within the Civil Aviation Agency says airfare prices are unreasonably high, and “we  demand that airlines not sell tickets at inflated prices.”

“We are against the rise in air ticket prices.  To prevent unfounded increase in airfares, we will take measures within our competence.  Representatives of airlines will be invited to the Agency soon to review the airfares,” the source said.  

According to him, the Agency was authorized to monitor the airfares “in the midst of a pandemic and the operation of charter flights,” while after the resumption of regular flights, “the Antimonopoly Agency must do this.”   

It is to be noted that tickets for flights from Tajikistan to Russia have gone up significantly since January 10.  Thus, a ticket for the Dushanbe-Moscow flight, previously from 2,000 to 3,000 somonis, now costs more than 6,000 somonis. This is higher than the price set or the Dushanbe-Moscow flight by the Civil Aviation Agency.  

“The price of a ticket for the Dushanbe-Moscow flight that will be operated by Somon Air (Tajikistan’s first privately owned air carrier) on January 19 is 6,297 somonis, while the price for a ticket for the Dushanbe-Moscow flight that will be operated by Russia’s Ural Airlines on January 20 is 6,492 somonis,” a representative of one of air ticket offices in Dushanbe told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon.  

A cashier at one of Dushanbe-based air ticket offices says a sudden spike in air ticket prices associated with the start of the new season and high demand for tickets from people.

According to him, the increase in the prices for air tickets is observed not only in Tajikistan, but throughout the region.