Yerevan-Kapan Flight Is Impractical and Has No Chance of Profit, Says Hakob Jagharyan

Hakob Jagharyan, the former adviser to the Prime Minister of Armenia on aviation, stated on his Facebook page: “Today, numerous media outlets have asked me to clarify the details of this flight. Most likely, each media will take a piece from my explanation. Therefore, I decided to provide a comprehensive explanation regarding the Yerevan-Kapan-Yerevan route and the questions surrounding it:

1. Any commercial flight must have a justifiable economic benefit. The cost price of tickets for this flight is about $100. The duration of the round trip will be around 2 hours. Approximately 600 kg of aviation fuel will be used, with fees paid for passenger services at Zvartnots and Syunik airports, aeronautical charges, and aircraft depreciation costs, which altogether will amount to about $3,000. Dividing this amount among an average of 15 passengers in each direction (a total of 30 passengers), we arrive at the previously mentioned $100 per passenger calculation. In addition to this, the complexity of Kapan Airport, the requirements for very favorable weather both in Kapan and during the entire flight, and the non-hermetic nature of the L-410 aircraft, which will limit its operational abilities in high mountainous regions to a maximum altitude of 4,000 meters for non-hermetic aircraft operations, will not allow for a stable flight schedule. This, in turn, will further decrease the number of passengers willing to buy tickets, which already have excessively high costs. In other words, this flight has no chance of being profitable, or is very close to it. Therefore, it carries a political subtext. What remains is the maintenance of strategic or urgent communication with a remote region.

2. From a security perspective, Syunik Airport has become vulnerable post-war. It is located just a few dozen meters from the Voghji River. The runway runs parallel to the river, behind which is the enemy's army. And although Russian flags flutter along the entire corridor of Berdzor, that does not guarantee security. Moreover, enemy forces are already stationed in the forested heights not far away, from where the airport becomes accessible and vulnerable even to short-barreled Kalashnikovs. Bombing Armenian territory, unlike the previous war, using flat-surfaced weapons, has made the sound of retaliatory fire unbearably present for village inhabitants, encouraged by an enemy army that feels impunity.

In this situation, with the absence of any security guarantees, I consider the organization of this flight to be impractical, unfounded, and an irresponsible PR move. Just months earlier, a test flight of this route was conducted immediately after an enemy advance with Armenian casualties near the fields of Tegh Village in Goris. This can be likened to having a sweet treat after a bucket of bile. Today, I have solid doubts that the strange ‘attention and love’ towards Syunik is also based on the same considerations. Either something bad has already happened that the public does not yet know, or something will happen soon.

The best, excuse my inappropriate wording, option would be to realize the absurdity of this already announced bluff, and consider pulling back from it via threats. Otherwise, let 1-2 high-ranking officials accompany each flight.”