11/08/2019 16:53

Delay till the 30th

[IMG=18335-3898] On Friday, the 11th of November, in Rome an official meeting of Russian operators was held with representatives of the Italian tourist press, organized by ‘NIT’ (National Tourism Department of Italy). The Italian tourist authorities were represented by Mr. Toni, general director of the department of Tourism in the ministry of trade and industry of Italy and his deputy Mr. Rocco. The purpose of the conference was to discuss the conflict situation with flights. The other day Russia and Italy managed to agree on renewal of regular flights Moscow-Milan by ‘Aeroflot’ and Alitalia for a limited period – until the 23rd of November (see news as of the 7th and 9th of November). Meanwhile the question of how air transport between the two countries will be arranged after this date is still undecided. According to many experts, the conflict occurred between two air carriers was concluded by an equal right agreement: if one nations carrier leaves the air, the other also does not have a right to fly. Their disputes affected the charter flights of Russian operators to Italian cities. For example, ‘Danko’ had to face some difficulties. ‘Last Wednesday we could not get permission in time to land in Rimini so the plane flew from Moscow to Ankon. In the end, they managed to resolve the issue and land in the original point of destination’, tells Natalia Minaeva, head of client relations department of ‘Danko’. According to Alexander Sorokin, president of ‘PAK group’, the conference enabled a temporary compromise to be reached. ‘We contacted ‘Enit’ and the Federal Association of Tourism to solve the issue. In the end, we were told that until the 30th of November there will not be any disturbances for charters. What will happen after? I hope for a final regulation of the situation’ commented Mr. Sorokin in an interview to a BANKO correspondent. ‘Enit’ still does not know what negotiations will lead to. ‘It is possible that the situation will be solved by the end of the week’, hopes Tatiana Bozhko, press-attaché of the national tourism department in Italy. Waiting for the solution of the situation the market offers versions of Russian-Italian antagonisms. For example, there is a hypothesis offered by Italian operators that claims the Federal agency of air transport recently suggested a change of charters by regular flights and appoint from each Moscow airport a carrier per Italian airport. Nevertheless, the situation is still hanging in the air and experts are pessimistic. ‘I’m afraid this situation will destabilize the destination’, was the expressed opinion of Nelly Ionkina, general director of ‘Ital travel’. BANKO will continue to monitor events.