Kyrgyzstan carrier demonstrates commercial acumen in dealing with stranded passengers (320 words)

Published: 9/5/2000

Manas Air, a small private airline based in Manas Kyrgyzstan, could only carry half of its passengers on the Bishkek-Moscow-Cologne route on 29th July 2000. This led angry passengers somewhat perversely to attack the offices of Kyrgyzstan Airlines, Kyrgyzstan's national carrier demanding to be carried to Cologne. According to Manas Air the problem was to attributed to difficulties in obtaining an aircraft of sufficient size after the aircraft leased by the airline from Kazakhstan charter carrier Fenix Airlines, proved to be unacceptable to the German authorities. This was due to its inclusion on a blacklist of problem operators, which included the aircraft's former owners Trans-Asia Airlines. The aircraft was sold by Trans-Asia to Quadro Tour and then to Fenix, which claims to be unaware of the problem, although many of Kazakhstan's charter carriers have experienced similar situations. Manas Air could therefore offer only its 76-seat Tu-134, unfortunately leaving half the passengers at Bishkek. Manas Air is reported to have paid for hotel accommodation for the other passengers along with DM100 compensation and the following day sent the delayed passengers to Cologne via Astana. The company also gave the passengers a free ticket on the Bishkek-Cologne or Bishkek-Stuttgart routes. The private sector levels of service however, contrast markedly with those offered by the flag carrier state-owned Kyrgyzstan Airlines. Despite delays of 24 hours on a flight from Moscow due to engine problems with a Tu-154, the carrier offered its passengers no compensation at Domodedovo Airport while they were stranded at the airport in late July, emphasising the increasing threat to the Central Asian carriers posed by the emerging private carriers in terms of the their level of service. In the specific case of Krygyzstan, Manas has been steadily increasing its volumes, when the loss-making state carrier has seen volumes continue to fall in 2000.

Article ID: 2059