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VAN-YEREVAN FLIGHTS END BEFORE STARTING
Hurriyet, Turkey
March 30 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Erdem GuneÅ~_
Direct flights between the Turkish city of Van and the Armenian
capital Yerevan have been canceled before they even began operating.
BoraJet, the company handling the flights, canceled the agreement
after a low number of passengers during preliminary flights, Deputy
Governor of Van Mehmet Yuzer said.
However, an Armenian tour agency, Narekavank, issued a statement March
29 saying that it was the Turkish aviation authorities who suspended
the first flight between Yerevan and Van.
According to the agency, the decision was made on March 28 by Turkey's
General Department of Civil Aviation.
"The organizers were keen on staying away from politics. It is very
sad and discouraging that Turkish authorities were not able to do
the same and eventually let politics interfere with this promising
initiative," the statement read.
Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation declined to comment
and BoraJet officials have said the reason for the cancelation were
passenger numbers far below the capacity of the flights.
Yuzer also said the Directorate did not inform them of any such issue
and that the decision was made only by BoraJet.
"We were not informed by Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation
to cancel the flights. The necessary permissions were already granted
by Iran and Armenia," Yuzer told the Hurriyet Daily News on March 29
in a phone interview.
The flights were planned to operate on April 3, despite closed borders
between the two countries, marking the first of their kind for Turkey's
eastern cities.
Disappointment by cancelation
Ayanis Travel Agency from Van said they were disappointed by the
cancelation as they had made campaigns for the upcoming season.
Abdullah Tuncdemir, the director of Ayanis Tourism Agency, said this
was an important step to reviving the economy in the region.
"The Armenian and Iranian markets are so close to us but for years
we did not have the chance to open the doors for these countries as
locals. We had arranged our package tour and they are all in vain now.
We avoid politics here, the reason is only trade, economy and the
peace between people," he told the Daily News by phone.
March/30/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/van-yerevan-flights-end-before-starting.aspx?pageID=238&nID=43930&NewsCatID=345
Hurriyet, Turkey
March 30 2013
ISTANBUL - Hurriyet Daily News
Erdem GuneÅ~_
Direct flights between the Turkish city of Van and the Armenian
capital Yerevan have been canceled before they even began operating.
BoraJet, the company handling the flights, canceled the agreement
after a low number of passengers during preliminary flights, Deputy
Governor of Van Mehmet Yuzer said.
However, an Armenian tour agency, Narekavank, issued a statement March
29 saying that it was the Turkish aviation authorities who suspended
the first flight between Yerevan and Van.
According to the agency, the decision was made on March 28 by Turkey's
General Department of Civil Aviation.
"The organizers were keen on staying away from politics. It is very
sad and discouraging that Turkish authorities were not able to do
the same and eventually let politics interfere with this promising
initiative," the statement read.
Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation declined to comment
and BoraJet officials have said the reason for the cancelation were
passenger numbers far below the capacity of the flights.
Yuzer also said the Directorate did not inform them of any such issue
and that the decision was made only by BoraJet.
"We were not informed by Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation
to cancel the flights. The necessary permissions were already granted
by Iran and Armenia," Yuzer told the Hurriyet Daily News on March 29
in a phone interview.
The flights were planned to operate on April 3, despite closed borders
between the two countries, marking the first of their kind for Turkey's
eastern cities.
Disappointment by cancelation
Ayanis Travel Agency from Van said they were disappointed by the
cancelation as they had made campaigns for the upcoming season.
Abdullah Tuncdemir, the director of Ayanis Tourism Agency, said this
was an important step to reviving the economy in the region.
"The Armenian and Iranian markets are so close to us but for years
we did not have the chance to open the doors for these countries as
locals. We had arranged our package tour and they are all in vain now.
We avoid politics here, the reason is only trade, economy and the
peace between people," he told the Daily News by phone.
March/30/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/van-yerevan-flights-end-before-starting.aspx?pageID=238&nID=43930&NewsCatID=345