Government and air transport operators reach compromise on ticket cost reduction for domestic flights – DRC

A compromise was finally reached this Thursday, May 27 between the government and operators of the air transport sector about the drop in the cost of tickets for domestic flights. This ,  after several weeks of discussions.

Jean-Marie Kalumba Yuma, Minister of the Economy and the heads of the aviation companies expected by mutual agreement to set in the next few days a decree setting the new prices for the plane ticket for domestic flights.  

At the end of this meeting, Norbert Sengamali, President of the committee of air carriers at the Federation of Enterprises of Congo (FEC) welcomed this compromise which puts everyone in agreement.

“There have been concessions on both sides, as the airlines have made concessions, as the minister has made a commitment on behalf of the State to remain attentive to the complaints of the airlines. We have just signed a report, if we were in the Vatican it is white smoke. Each of the parties has remained attentive to the desire to satisfy the population which is passing the difficult moment, if at the end little or more has been observed, there will be evaluation meetings and at that time, we will take into account the ‘evolution but for the moment each party has put water in its wine and the result is there, ”he told the press at the end of the hearing.

For his part, Gueda Amani Yav Witch, Managing Director of Mwant Jet Sarl, a business aviation company in the DRC, said he hoped for government intervention on certain taxes which are often increasing the cost of tickets.

“I am encouraged to see that promises have been obtained to help us improve our price and serve passengers throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo. We took into account the specificity of each plane and each destination, so it will be something positive. With the promises we have been given in particular on certain costs that can be reduced by precisely the intervention of the government on certain taxes and in particular on fuel and its availability within the country, this is what has always been our concern. penalized on the pricing of ticket costs, ”added Gueda Amani Yav Witch.

This compromise reached between operators of the air transport sector and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo is the result of long discussions which lasted nearly two weeks.