Georgia

FlyGeorgia launches operations as Georgian aviation market continues to grow

FlyGeorgia launched operations last month, emerging as the main competitor to flag carrier Georgian Airways. The new airline quickly expanded into the international market after launching domestically and is now connecting Tbilisi with Turkey and Iran. The launch of a second major carrier for Georgia comes as the country’s aviation market continues to grow with over 10 new routes connecting the country with other cities across Europe. The presence of low-cost carriers is also increasing with the expansion of Pegasus’ services to the nation and entry of Wizz Air to the market.

Tunisair’s sluggish attitude towards change makes it ill-prepared for Open Skies

As a majority state-owned airline in North Africa, Tunisair has retained most of the flag carrier privileges that are cemented in the 1944 Chicago Convention, but those protectionist practices run counter to the present realities of passengers wanting choice and low fares. It is only natural that Tunisair defends its flag carrier status and historic market share, yet its lax attitude to take out legacy waste makes it ill-prepared for an Open Skies with the European Union or other Maghreb countries.

Tunisair deploys about 70% of its weekly seat capacity on routes to Western Europe and it has a 55% to 68% share of all one-way seats flown between Tunisia and Western Europe depending the high or low season. This is likely to decrease under an Open Skies with the EU and this in turn could lead to a further erosion of Tunisair’s financial results.

Georgia’s aviation market expanding with Government interest

Georgia’s aviation market is expanding with the help of a proactive Georgian Government, which is seeking to transform the country into a regional transportation hub. In 2012 the small country has seen not only increased services from European carriers, but from carriers further afield in Asia and the Middle East. Georgia’s home-based aviation market is also set to expand with the launch of two new airlines, FlyGeorgia and Air Caucasus, in 2012.

The Georgian Government is showing much more interest in its national aviation industry having made recent commitments to turning the country into a regional transportation hub. Georgia, which is strategically located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, has a number of infrastructure projects under way which will see a network of modern airports built.

The Government has also made changes to the Air Code of Georgia in order to introduce greater regulation. Changes include the introduction of new standard working and flying times as well as requirements for fuel, maintenance and technical staff to be certified. The Georgian Civil Aviation Agency took comments made by ICAO auditors in 2007 into account during its work on the bill.

Middle Eastern LCCs driving growth into Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS

Russia, the CIS nations and Central and Eastern Europe have been receiving a great deal of attention from Middle East-based carriers in recent months. Full service and low-cost carriers have announced or added a flurry of routes into Eastern European destinations over the past few weeks. Airlines in the Middle East are looking to tap into the underserved region, which is still showing strong economic growth despite troubles in several European markets and strong growth in business and tourism traffic.

Homegrown LCCs Air Arabia and flydubai are leading a push into the regions, but so too is Qatar Airways. Additionally, Oman Air plans to launch services to Moscow. While Middle Eastern carriers have long dominated traffic into western Europe, they now comprise the majority of traffic between the Middle East and central Europe, eastern Europe, Russia and CIS.

Slovenia, Colombia and Eastern Europe among the hottest emerging markets for European travellers

The overall numbers may be small, but the growth in seating capacity is spectacular from Europe to a number of emerging markets around the world this summer. Headlining this list is Slovenia, Tajikistan and Georgia in Eastern Europe; El Salvador, Panama and Colombia in Latin America; Rwanda, The Gambia and Togo in Africa; and Cambodia and Vietnam in Asia.