Airports, travel agents concerned over plan to protect charter flight operators

The Infrastructure Ministry has announced controversial plans to expand domestic carriers' share of the air charter market. A new regulation to come into force on March 1 is aimed at increasing the number of international charter flights operated by LOT Polish Airlines and White Eagle to such destinations as Turkey, Egypt and Cyprus. "The decision is a result of the decreasing demand for airline services," explained Ministry spokesperson Paulina Jankowska. Foreign carriers will still be permitted to operate on these routes, but only with the agreement of the domestic carriers. However, Poland's regional airports are concerned about possible retaliatory action by countries affected by the new regulation. "There is a real possibility of a deadlock in airline operations this season," commented Grzegorz Pradzynski, president of the international airline commission KWAZMTL. The regulation has also been criticized by travel industry representatives, who fear that the ticket price increase that is likely to result could lead to many travel agents going bankrupt. (Puls Biznesu, p. 4) M.T.