Airline companies lift government-forced ceiling on domestic flight prices

ANKARA

Turkey’s airline companies have lifted a ceiling imposed on the domestic flight prices as of April, ahead of a busy summer season.

The ceiling price for domestic flight tickets, based on a compromise between companies and the Transport Ministry, was launched at 299 Turkish Liras ($147), including all charges, in December.

The transport minister of the time, Binali Yıldırım, had said that there was no deadline for the agreement and that it would last as long as conditions were normal.

“When the decision was being made, airline companies had said ‘ok’ reluctantly and by courtesy. During the meeting at issue, the minister said the practice would be valid after March as well, but the airliners remained silent,” a representative from the Turkey Private Sector Aviation Enterprises’ Association (TÖSHİD) told Reuters.

He said the ministry is not authorized to make such a decision and it was only a verbal consensus, adding there were no talks for the summer season, so the companies ended limitations on their prices.