Aircraft taxes and seasonal factors are to blame for the rise in flight prices
Russian Transport Minister Roman Starovoit claims that there will be no significant increase in air ticket prices, as this is controlled by the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS). His statement was a response to publications about the increase in air ticket prices by 30-50% after the proposal to increase the air navigation tax rate for airlines to finance the airfield capital repair fund. MK investigated what will actually happen with flight prices in August.
The day before, the head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, Dmitry Yadrov, announced an increase in fees from air carriers for air navigation services. It is assumed that as early as August, the fee rate may increase to 150 rubles per ton of maximum takeoff weight per 100 km. These funds will then be used to modernize air harbors. According to transport authorities, 116 of Russia's 228 airfields currently require repairs. This news has caused a strong reaction among experts. There have been statements that as early as August 1, when the new fee is introduced, we can expect a rise in prices for domestic flights by up to 30%, and for international flights — up to 50%. After that, people will try to save money and switch to train travel, which will cause increased demand for rail passenger transportation. As a result, prices for train tickets will also increase by 20%.
All these statements were immediately refuted by officials. Thus, the press secretary of Rosaviatsiya Artem Korenyako assured in his Telegram channel that there will be no explosive growth in air ticket prices in the last month of summer. A new fee is indeed being introduced, but it will only amount to 3% of the total cost of air tickets, so it cannot significantly affect their price. And the funds received in this way will go to repair airports, purchase lighting equipment and modular passenger buildings, that is, as a result, flight safety and passenger comfort will increase. The head of the Ministry of Transport also commented on the situation. «There will be no significant increase in ticket prices. FAS controls this,» assured Roman Starovoit. Many experts also remind that in August, ticket prices always go up, but this is due to a seasonal surge in demand.
According to Dmitry Gorin, Vice President of the Russian Union of Travel Industry, the correction of prices for flights in August is an annual story due to the high season. Depending on the destination, the cost of air tickets increases from 20 to 53%, but the fees introduced for the reconstruction of airports have nothing to do with this. «This is happening against the backdrop of increased demand now and for the velvet season, it is possible that tariffs will increase dynamically in September,» the expert said during a press conference at NSN. He recalled that airline ticket sales open 11 months before departure, which allows you to buy seats at cheaper rates. «We agree with both Rosaviatsia and the Ministry of Transport: even if 150-300 rubles are gradually added to the tariff due to the innovation, this, of course, is not a 50% increase in cost,» Gorin emphasized.
It is difficult to find an expense item for airlines that has not become more expensive in recent years, and they are trying to shift this burden, as much as possible, onto consumers — cargo carriers and passengers. According to Oleg Panteleev, executive director of the Aviaport agency, the introduction of state regulation of prices for flights will only worsen the situation: tickets will disappear from ticket offices. They will only be available from resellers, as in the late USSR. In market conditions, companies simply take into account annual fluctuations in demand for flights. August is the peak season in Russia. «The minimum prices will be, respectively, in November — early December and in February — early March,» Panteleev noted. If someone wants to save money, I suggest planning their trip for other months.»
As Vice President of the Alliance of Russian Travel Agencies Aleksan Mkrtchyan emphasized, prices have only gone up for the 35 years he has been working in tourism. This year, the strange planning of the summer season by government agencies has also contributed to the growth in ticket prices to the south of Russia. For example, Russian Railways has not increased the number of trains to Anapa and Krasnodar Krai, although it is well aware of the peak in demand. At the same time, people who want to go south by car are forced to sit in traffic jams for a long time due to road repairs. All this contributes to ticket prices. The expert even proposed a legislative ban on road repairs in the south of Russia in the summer to change the situation.