EU-Armenia common air space agreement to drive air ticket prices down and improve services
Sergey Avetisyan, head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, said Thursday that a comprehensive air traffic agreement to be signed soon between Armenia and the European Union would drive ticket prices down and improve quality of services.
According to Novosti-Armenia, the first round of negotiations between the European Union and Armenia over the agreement began Thursday in Yerevan.
“I can’t indicate any precise date, but we hope the agreement will be signed very soon,” Avetisyan said.
This will spur competition in the area, he said, creating room for diversifying geography, lowering prices for air tickets and improving quality of air companies’ services.
In his opinion, the agreement will liberalize the area for all European companies and will lay groundwork for outlining long-term plans by air companies for operating in Armenia.
Head of Unit for Aviation Agreements of the European Commission Klaus Gail, who spoke at the conference as well, said that the signing of such agreements between the EU and other countries have produced visible results beneficial to both sides.
As a result, he said, more players emerge at air market, traffic grows and prices go down intensifying integration among countries and developing the area.
Head of EU Delegation to Armenia Piotr Switalski, too, stressed the importance of the launch of the negotiations, thanks to which Armenia will join this big aviation fold.
He expressed hope that this will spur development of tourism in Armenia. The country, he said, will become more available, and this will enhance its attractiveness.
Of the Eastern Partnership member countries, Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine have already joined the common air space. --0---