Pegasus Airlines representative comments on high ticket prices in Ercan

Zeki Ziya, a representative of Pegasus Airlines, stated that high ticket prices for flights to Ercan Airport are primarily due to increased taxation and privatization costs rather than airline profits. Ziya addressed recent proposals by Erhan Arikli, the transport official in the region, to reclassify flights between Turkey and Ercan as domestic. Ziya argued that such a change is impossible under current conditions, as it would imply the removal of immigration and customs controls. He noted that the privatization of the airport resulted in the removal of previous fee waivers and a 50% discount previously provided to airlines. Furthermore, he criticized the application of VAT on departure taxes, describing it as a unique policy that contributes to the high cost of tickets. Ziya emphasized that he had warned local authorities about these consequences prior to the privatization but his concerns were ignored.