DUSHANBE, January 31, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s air carriers, Tajik Air and Somon Air, have raised passenger fares on flights to Moscow by 20 percent.

The Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, said the new rates went into effect on January 29 on the route from Dushanbe to Moscow.

A ticket for the flight, previously €250.00, now costs €300.00.  “The introduction of the new rate is connected with a seasonal decrease in passenger traffic and rise in fuel air prices,” Lola Kenjayeva, a spokeswoman for Tajik Air, said.  She said the cost of passenger fare from Moscow to Dushanbe was lowered from €280.00 to €200.00.

Kenjayeva added that passenger fares on flights to Sochi were raised from €220.00 to €260.00, while the cost of passenger fare from Sochi to Dushanbe was lowered from €220.00 to €180.00.

Timur Bandishoyev, a spokesman for Tajik private air carrier, Somon Air, says Somon Air has also raised passenger fares on flights to Moscow – from €240.00 to €300.00.  Somon Air has raised the cost of passenger fare from Moscow to Dushanbe as well.  “Passenger traffic from Moscow to Dushanbe has decreased and the company is forced to raise passenger fares in order to cover its expanses on this flight,” said the spokesman, “Besides, Moscow has raised fees for airport services.”

It is to be noted that Tajik labor migrants usually travel to Russia in the winter and early spring, and therefore demand for tickets on the route from Dushanbe to Moscow and other Russian cities increases during this season.