Hasmik Martirosyan
Public Radio of Armenia
The Armenian Government decided on October 23 to liberalize the air market. How will the “open sky” policy benefit the country? Is Armenia a suitable country for international air carriers?
The adoption of the “open sky” policy allows any air company to launch flights in any direction and with any frequency. Armenian experts in cooperation with the “McKinsey & Company” consulting firm have worked out the doctrine of stable and competitive air transportation.
Executive Director of the Armenian National Competitiveness Foundation Arman Khachatryan says the development of the doctrine envisages economic benefits such as GDP growth and new jobs.
“If Armenia offers attractive terms to leading international air companies, we will not only have a high-quality and affordable air service, but will also have chances to become a transit country,” he said.
The “McKinsey & Company” predicts that the “open sky” policy will result in an estimated $300-400 mln GDP growth. 18-23 thousand new jobs (mostly in the field of air communication and tourism), 20-25% growth in the number of passengers and about 10% reduction in prices during the coming 4-5 years.
