[IMG=20617-6394] ‘Tour operators from Kazan that specialize in the Turkish market had to ‘convert’ into agents owing high activity of Moscow tour operators, in particular Pegas Touristik, that increased its air traffic volume to Antalya and became the only consolidator of flights to the destination from Kazan (daily, except Saturday, Il-86, Tatarstan Airlines). The problem is that Pegas promised to divide the total air traffic volume into blocks but did not. Therefore, local tour operators had to reduce their activities and to book tour packages for their clients from Pegas. It is the only possibility to guarantee plane tickets’, said Marcel Musin, Director of Intourcenter.
Meanwhile, Pegas announced its charter plans long time ago. Then among the companies that planned to take blocks on Pegas flights were Kazan offices of Mostravel, Anex Tour, local tour operator Intourcenter and others. But despite the overall tendency Turkey turned out to be in demand among Kazan tourists and Pegas, according to the company’s representatives, could cope with its air traffic volume without providing blocks to agents. ‘if flights are well booked, what’s the point to divide them into blocks? We do not have dumping prices. The air is open for healthy competition. Other operators could operate their own charter to Turkey’, explained Anna Podgornaya, Sales Director of Pegas Touristik.
However, other tour operators do not rush into launching their own flights. Last year Deep tour also operated flights from Kazan but after its bankruptcy Pegas became the only consolidator of flights to Turkey from Kazan. Not all market players appeal to the situation, but in general they are satisfied with the current situation. ‘At present local companies are not strong enough to launch their own flights to Turkey. For Moscow tour operators it is apparently more convenient to act as agents too. For those who want to work as tour operators on the Turkish destination there is an alternative – to send their clients to Turkey via Moscow. Moreover, Pegas realizes flights only to Antalya, other regions are not involved’, emphasized Lilia Grigorieva, Efir – voyage.
It is interesting that flying via Moscow is sometimes even cheaper than a direct flight which is $110 more expensive.
