Turkish airliners agree on higher ceiling price for domestic flights

ANKARA

AA Photo

Turkish airline companies have revised the domestic flight ceiling price to 309 Turkish Liras from 299, Communication Minister Lütfi Elvan announced.

“Airline companies have reached an agreement to implement the ceiling price at 309 liras,” the minister said in a written statement.

“A 10-lira hike has been introduced due to the rise in costs and currency exchange,” Elvan said, noting this limit will be kept unless an extraordinary situation arises.

The minister said last week that he will meet with sector players after some airline sector representatives said companies had abandoned implementing the ceiling ahead of the summer season.

The 299-lira ceiling was introduced in January as result of talks between the ministry, the Civilian Aviation Authority of Turkey and private companies.

The transport minister of the time, Binali Yıldırım, had said there was no deadline for the agreement and that it would last as long as conditions were normal.

“When the decision was being made, airline companies had said ‘ok’ reluctantly and by courtesy. During the meeting at issue, the minister said the practice would be valid after March as well, but the airliners remained silent,” a representative from the Turkey Private Sector Aviation Enterprises’ Association (TÖSHİD) told Reuters.