Low-cost Airline Buta Cancels Summer Flights to Antalya

Baku / 10.05.18 / Turan: The Azerbaijani low-cost airline Buta announced the cancellation of flights to the popular Turkish seaside resort of Antalya, which is odd enough for the summer season. The last flight to Antalya will take place on June 3.

At the same time, Azerbaijani citizens wishing to rest in Antalya will have to use AZAL aircraft, the prices for which are much more expensive than those of Buta.

So, the standard ticket for the low-cost airline in both directions costs AZN 320, and for AZAL the ticket price in economy class to Antalya reaches AZN 600-700 in summer.

The company itself has confirmed the information, however, without giving an explanation for this decision. The company said the aircraft Buta in summer will fly to another Turkish seaside resort, Alanya.

Commenting on this decision for Turan, the economist Natig Jafarli noted that the company simply decided to cash in on Azerbaijani citizens, forcing them to buy more expensive tickets.

"AZAL, being a monopolist, arbitrarily decides what price to set. Moreover, the company does not let other airlines to Azerbaijan and 90% of the flights from Baku are performed by itself or in partnership with others," he said.

As a result, Georgia will benefit from this again.

"Georgia has allowed increasing flights in the Turkish direction and low-cost airlines will open flights to Turkish resorts in summer. Some of the citizens of Azerbaijan flew earlier from Georgia, and now there will be even more of them," the expert said.

At the same time, Jafarli noted that despite expensive tickets, AZAL remains a loss-making company. "The company has a big problem with management. Therefore, despite monopoly and expensive tickets, it remains unprofitable," he concluded.---71D-