In the beginning of the tourist season Russian airlines decreased ticket prices by up to 50% to support domestic tourism, TASS reports with reference to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (also known as ATOR). Special prices were set for both southern and eastern destinations, a specialist of ATOR noted. He added that these measures allowed increasing the demand in domestic segment by 30% year-on-year.
“In the beginning of the tourist season a number of Russian airlines offered special prices for some domestic flights on their own initiative. This step was taken in order to support tour operators working in this segment. For example, special prices were set for flights from Moscow to Simferopol performed in June. The price of round-trip tickets on this route was 7000 rubles. The price of discount tickets to Sochi, Anapa and Gelendzhik varied from 6000 to 7000 rubles. The actual price of round-trip tickets on these destinations is more than 15000 rubles,” ATOR explained.
Moreover, special prices were set for flights on routes Moscow – Kaliningrad – Moscow and Moscow – Vladivostok – Moscow (the price of round-trip tickets was 7500 and 18000 rubles respectively). Regular price of a round-trip ticket on Moscow – Vladivostok – Moscow route is around 50000 rubles. Special prices were also set for flights departing from some other cities, besides Moscow.
“Of course, the ticket prices will increase by 10-15% during the peak season and the number of special offers will decrease. Today special prices are set for flights scheduled for early autumn (off-peak season). For example, cheap tickets for flights scheduled for September 2015 are available,” the source noted.
According to him, so far ATOR has been unable to assess the effect of selling discount tickets on flights to Crimea this year. “Last year many carriers failed to spend subsidies provided by the Russian government in order to provide discount tickets for flights from cities of Russia to Crimea. The reason for this situation is the fact that many airlines were afraid of sanctions that might have been imposed by European lessors, - the source said. – Today some carriers still refuse to operate flights to Crimea in order to avoid possible penalties and termination of lease agreements. The situation with the discount tickets will be clear by the end of the tourist season”.
According to Rosaviatsiya, the carriers transported 6300 passengers to Simferopol over the first 10 days of June 2015; 60,1 thousand discount tickets were sold during this period. At present eight airlines are operating flights to Crimea. 34 routes out of 43 claimed ones are being used. It is planned to transport around 170 thousand passengers in the course of the program this year.
It was reported earlier that the carriers asked for 1,5 billion rubles in subsidies in order to operate flights to Crimea in 2015; however, only 612 million rubles will be allocated from the budget for these purposes.
