Page 64 - GEORptApr21

with two more to arrive in December and March, respectively.
“The planes are new and are currently in the United States,” Kodua said in September when he announced his intentions for the first time. “[N]egotiations are underway with the investor,” he said at that time.
Air Georgia will operate as a low-cost carrier, charging fares even lower than those charged by Wizzair according to Kodua, but only if Georgian airports offer the same terms as they offer to Wizz Air, he stressed.
"As you know, we are negotiating with the government and if Kutaisi Airport gives us the same conditions as Wizz Air has, then after registering the plane, we will transfer it to Kutaisi and start flights from there," said Kodua.
However, if the state does not award Air Georgia conditions similar to those enjoyed by Wizz Air, the company will continue flights from Tbilisi at normal prices, he added.
9.2.2 Aviation corporate news
Wizzair hasn’t decided yet on resuming flights to Georgia
Ryanair to not resume flights to Georgia this year
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizzair has denied that it has already made a decision about resuming flights to and from Georgian airports at the end of March, as already announced by Georgian Minister of Economy Natia Turnava.
"At this stage, it will be too early to name a specific date for the resumption of flights. I will refrain from naming dates accordingly, as the situation is quite volatile and in the markets we operate in, governments are doing everything they can to stop the spread of COVID-19. Once we resume ticket sales I do not think ticket prices will be higher as we will still need to attract a flow of passengers. We remain on the market and we want to restore the operation of the international airport of Kutaisi as quickly as possible," Wizzair’s representatives told Business Media Georgia.
Turnava previously said WizzAir would resume flights to 20 destinations from Kutaisi by the end of March and operate 45 flights a week.
“WizzAir will resume flights at Kutaisi International Airport from the end of March and will operate flights to 20 destinations, 45 flights a week. From the end of March, Wizzair will initiate a new route to Abu Dhabi, which will operate flights in the direction of Abudabi-Kutaisi-Abudabi twice a week,” said Turnava. By summer, the number of flights per week may reach 200, a 20-fold increase, Turnava said at a briefing held in the government building in Tbilisi.
Ukraine International Airlines, Fly Dubai, Air Arabia Flights resumed regular flights on February 1, while some others, such as Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and Qatar Airways, have increased their flight frequency, the minister said.
Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has announced that “for commercial reasons” it will not resume flights to Georgia this year.
"For commercial reasons, Ryanair will not operate flights to Georgia until 2021. "We are working diligently with our network of airports to facilitate the resumption of air traffic, but our company is gradually emerging from the difficult situation surrounding COVID-19," the airline said in a statement.
From February 1, restrictions on regular air traffic in Georgia were lifted, but passenger flows remain quite low.
Ryanair’s decision to not resume flights this year will be one impediment to the recovery of Georgia's key tourism industry.
In 2020, prior to the pandemic lockdown, Ryanair served 21,323 passengers in relation to Georgia. The company flew from Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports to Bologna and Marseille.
64 GEORGIA Country Report April 2021 www.intellinews.com