This year, civil air travel within Russia could rise in price by 15-30% compared to 2022, Deputy Transport Minister Igor Chalik has warned. The reason for the increase in prices for domestic flights may be a decrease in subsidies.
The representative of the department recalled that last year 100 billion rubles were allocated for subsidies. For the current year, according to Chalik, subsidies similar to 2022 have not yet been approved.
“In that sense, we expect, perhaps, that there will be an increase in the cost of transportation of around 15% to 30%. Accordingly, it will be possible to reduce the number of flights, ”TASS said, citing the deputy minister.
The subsidies airlines received in 2022 were intended to offset operating costs in the face of Western sanctions. By 2023, subsidies are given at a level of about 25.3 billion rubles. A decrease in the amount of funds allocated may contribute to an increase in ticket prices.
As the deputy head of the Federal Air Transport Agency Vladimir Poteshkin noted, this year it is planned to transport up to 82 million people on domestic flights. However, the reduction in subsidies, Poteshkin emphasizes, has already caused a decrease in the number of flights.
“I would like to point out that the reduction of budgetary funds that are currently being made has already meant a reduction of 10,612 thousand flights, of which 4,947 thousand flights fall on regions of difficult access,” said the representative of the Federal. Air Transport Agency.
Author:
Natalia Gormaleva
Source: RB
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