Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 16
By Khalid Kazimov - Trend:
The National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC) has announced that the country's airlines owe it some 7,550 billion rials (27,500 rials making USD 1), IRNA news agency reported Feb. 16.
NIORDC Head of Public Relations Davod Arabali said that although the company has allowed the airlines to pay their debt in installments, their debts are still on the rise.
The official added that at a recent meeting with the airline officials, NIORDC demanded the airlines to pay for their debts up to the end of the Iranian fiscal year 1392 (Mar. 20, 2013) in installments and to liquidate the later costs on a monthly basis by providing warranties.
"Over 78 percent of the total debt is owed by Asman, Mahan, and IranAir airlines," he said.
He further noted that the fuel delivered to the airlines in the current Iranian year (since Mar. 21) until Feb. 14 has totaled 4380 billion rials.
"The amount paid by airlines in the current year has been 220 billion rials, covering 51 percent of the airlines' debt of the year," Arabali further said.
Iranian airlines and oil ministry have frequent disagreements over the fuel price.
The airlines increased ticket prices by 70 percent in July due to increased fuel prices.
The airlines refuse to accept the jet fuel price announced by oil ministry, saying the airplane ticket prices are not commensurate with the fuel price.
After launching the Subsidy Reform Plan, the administration sharply increased jet fuel price for domestic passenger airlines.
The subsidy reform plan, launched in December 2010, allows the Iranian government to gradually slash subsidies on fuel, electricity, and certain goods over the course of five years.
Edited by CN