[IMG=20811-6585]There is still an excess of flights to Crete which, as it is the end of the season, is provoking changes within charter programmes. A BANKO correspondent interviewed travel market experts and discovered that Megapolus Aviacharter plan to terminate one of two of its Thursday charters. The company will probably terminate their Boeing-737 flight (S7 Airlines, 168 seats) and run only the Boeing-757 flight (VIM-avia), jointly with the Russian Charter Centre.
Meanwhile, all consolidators of flights to Crete say there is a lack of demand for the destination (flights running at 80% and less of capacity); thus they feel it is necessary to reduce the volume of flights on the route. But Elena Sorokina, Head of the Greek Department of UTE Megapolus group, noted that ‘Nobody is canceling their own flights – they are all just waiting for their competitors to do so’.
Furthermore, Anatoli Garkushin, Direcot of Pantheon, said that his company intends to join forces with another company, namely - The Russian Charter Centre. He said: ‘There is a real excess of flights at the moment but while negotiating we will operate our existing programme (two VIM-avia Boeing-757 flights a week)’.
However, Alexey Molokanov, The Director of The Russian Charter Centre, said in an interview with a BANKO correspondent that their company have so far refused to work with Pantheon in this way and they have no plans to change their existing programme (two VIM-avia Boeing-757 flights a week).
Apparently, the final decision regarding charter flights to Crete will be made only after August 28th. Margarita Davlikanova, General Deputy Director of Inna Tour, said: ‘on August 28th negotiations will take place also involving Pantheon, RCC, Labyrinth and IntAir. We will discuss alternative arrangements for the destination, giving consideration to existing contracts and penalties for flight termination’.
Whilst charter consolidators negotiate, the cost of tour packages to Crete remains low at around 370 Euros (3* accommodation), that is more than 200 Euros less than catalogue prices.
