BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 12
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
If the current situation continues and Iranian Airlines are not supported, these companies may go bankrupt, Director of Iranian Air Travel and Tourism Offices Association, Younes Daqiq Kia said at a press conference, Trend reports citing IRIB.
The director noted that Iranian Airlines suffered a financial loss of 20 trillion rials (about $476 million) during the first six months of the current Iranian year (March 20 through September 21, 2020).
He added that it is applied to the government for the payment of these funds as gratuitous assistance.
According to Daqiq Kia, more than 170,000 domestic flights and about 34,300 foreign flights were operated by Iranian Airlines in the last Iranian year (from March 21, 2019, to March 20, 2020).
The director stressed that 18.5 million passengers were transported within the country, 5.18 million passengers – abroad, and vice versa.
“However, the number of flights decreased by 35 percent, the number of domestic passengers - by 47 percent, the number of foreign passengers - by 96 percent,” he said.
Daqiq Kia also said that in addition, foreign currency accounts for 62 percent of the costs of airlines, and the rise in the value of the foreign currency has exacerbated the problems of airlines several times.
The director added that the purchase of equipment related to air transport, US sanctions against Iran, the spread of the coronavirus pandemic has increased the costs of Iranian airlines several times.