[IMG=21328-7185] Aeroflot made a decision to increase a number of scheduled flights to Prague from 10 to 14 flights in season 2006-2007 motivating its initiative by the growing market demand. In total a number of scheduled flights on the route, including two daily flights by Czech Airlines will be 28 flights per week.
Meanwhile, Sales Director of Transtour Travel, Mikhail Abramov, appeals of the increased air traffic volume believing it will not provoke excess of flights: ‘Prague is in very high demand. Tours are organized upon both excursion and ski programs, therefore, the flights will be operated at their full capacity’. Furthermore, Ludmila Kurbatova, Director of the Moscow Office of Destination, doubts the success of the flights: ‘Yes, the Czech Republic is a popular winter destination at the moment. We observe good sales depth, the demand is growing. But what consequences does sales slowdown have?’. According to her, charter flights will be the first to be affected by possible drop in demand as the difference in price is small and for tourists an airport of arrival is very important – all three charter flights at present fly to Pardubice Airport that is an hour driving from Prague. Sergey Burakov, Head of the Transport Department of Neva Travel Company disagreed: ‘transfer to Prague is not expensive. Besides, it is included in the tour package price’.
Simultaneously, scheduled flights can not be considered an alternative to charters owing Aeroflot policy. ‘Aeroflot will hardly offer blocks for tour operators on Sunday flights and for tourists it is not convenient’, the expert said.
