Armavia confirmed for sale, Italians among prospectors

A spokesperson for Armenia’s “national carrier” Armavia, has confirmed that the troubled airline is for sale, and that negotiations include a potential deal with Italian buyers.

For several weeks it has been known that Armavia was most likely on the blocks. When Airitalia announced that it would begin service from Zvartnots International Airport in December, speculation circulated that Italy’s “national carrier” would be buying out Armavia.

Over the past year or more, Armavia has had disputes with management of Zvartnots, as the airline has struggled to pay its tariffs and has occasionally been grounded for brief periods.

Armavia’s Nana Avetisova told media that the Italians are among “two or three” companies expected to engage in negotiations.

Source: armenianow.com

Armavia flights resumed

Armenian Zvartnots International Airport resumed services rendered to Armavia flights on  Tuesday afternoon, airport’s spokesperson Gevorg Abrahamyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
The air company promised to transfer $150 thousand reducing its debt to the airport to $3 million 150 thousand. Unless company pays the debt, the flights will be grounded again.
On Tuesday morning the flights were suspended as Armavia exceeded the maximum limit allowed by the working contract.
The conflict between Armavia and Zvartnots International Airports continues for several months. Zvartnots had suspended Armavia’s flights a number of times for exceeding the limit for outstanding debts, but the parties had come to an agreement as a result of negotiations.

Source: news.am

Zvartnots serves Armavia flights – airport spokesman

Zvartnots airport is providing proper services to Armavia air company today, Oct 22, the airport’s spokesman said.
As Gevorg Abrahamyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, debt calculations are currently being made, with the answers to all the questions to be specified tomorrow.
Armavia, in turn, noted that it is paying its debts to the airport on daily basis.
Earlier, Armavia conditioned the suspension of Zvartnots airport’s services to the air company by the airport’s disapproval of the new shareholder.
Meanwhile, Zvartnots noted the national carrier’s debts as the main reason behind the airport’s decision to halt servicing of the air company flights. The amount of Armavia’s debt exceeded the sum agreed on for over $1 million, bringing the total debt to $3,360 million.
As Armenian media outlets reported earlier, either owner of Zvartnots airport, Argentinean Armenian entrepreneur Eduardo Eurnekian, or Armenian president’s son-in-law Mikael Minasyan planned to purchase Armavia. However, Eurnekian denied the rumors later.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armavia promised to reduce Zvartnots debt to $3 million by Saturday

Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport resumed Armavia flights about two hours ago, airport’s press secretary Gevorg Abrahamyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
The flights were resumed as Armavia promised to reduce the debt to $3 million until the end of the day.
Airport has again suspended its services rendered to Armavia two days ago. The flights were resumed after the company transferred a certain amount. At the moment Armavia’s debt totals $3 million 215 thousand.
The conflict between Armavia and Armenia International Airports continues for several months. Zvartnots had suspended Armavia’s flights a number of times, and for exceeding the limit for outstanding debts, but the parties had come to an agreement as a result of negotiations.

Source: news.am

Zvartnots airport resumes Armavia flights

Armenia International Airports CJSC (Zvartnots) resumed the servicing of Armavia air company flights October 19, 3:00 pm, the airport’s spokesman said.
“The air company has pledged to reduce the debts to USD 3 mln by the end of the working day,” Gevorg Abrahamyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, adding that Zvartnots will be forced to halt services to Armavia again, if the latter fails to fulfill the promise.
Armavia conditioned the suspension of Zvartnots airport’s services to the air company by the airport’s disapproval of the new shareholder.
Meanwhile, Zvartnots noted Armavia’s debts as the main reason behind the airport’s decision to halt servicing of the air company flights. The amount of Armavia’s debt exceeded the sum agreed on for over $1 million, bringing the total debt to $3,360 million.
As Armenian media outlets reported earlier, either owner of Zvartnots airport, Argentinean Armenian entrepreneur Eduardo Eurnekian, or Armenian president’s son-in-law Mikael Minasyan planned to purchase Armavia. However, Eurnekian denied the rumors later.

Source: panarmenian.net

"Armavia" has a debt of USD 3 million 215,000 to "Zvartnots" Airport

"Zvartnots" Airport again stopped the flights of "Armavia" Airlines in the morning of October 19. This was announced by the press secretary of the airport Gevorg Abrahamyan. In a conversation with "Armenpress" Abrahamyan said: ""Armavia" should have already reduced its debts to USD 2 million 360,000 long ago, but now it has a debt of UDS 3 million 215,000. The airlines promised to partially pay its debt off reducing it to USD 3 million".
Press Secretary of "Armavia" Airlines Nana Avetisyan mentioned that they keep paying off the debt by transferring some money each day. Avetisyan said: "In few hours "Armavia" Airlines will announce the needed period of time to be able to reduce the debt to the amount of USD 2 million 360,000 mentioned in the agreement. This question is now under discussion at the conference in the company".
This is not the first time that the airport refuses to serve flights of the airline due to the debts. "Zvartnots" Airport again stopped serving "Armavia" flights in the morning of October 18.

Source: armenpress.am

Armavia paid part of its debt to Zvartnots airport

Armavia air company has paid the debt due to which Zvartnots airport grounded flights, company representative told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
He said the company paid amount exceeding the permitted level and now there is no reason to suspend flights.
The airport suspended its services rendered to Armavia two days ago. The flights were resumed after the company transferred a certain amount. Earlier Armavia’s debt totaled $3 million 215 thousand. Armavia promised to reduce the debt to $3 million until the end of the day.
The conflict between Armavia and Armenia International Airports continues for several months. Zvartnots had suspended Armavia’s flights a number of times, and for exceeding the limit for outstanding debts, but the parties had come to an agreement as a result of negotiations.

Source: news.am

Armavia Saga: Struggling national air carrier’s flights suspended again

The situation around the unresolved dispute between Armenia’s national air carrier and the country’s main international airport continues to cause problems keeping hundreds of current and potential passengers in suspense.

On Thursday morning the Armenia International Airports company again suspended its services of Armavia flights from the Zvartnots airport, leaving dozens of passengers hoping to get to Moscow stranded in Yerevan. Another Armavia flight scheduled for Thursday also appeared jeopardized because of the continuing financial dispute between the two companies.

The situation around Armavia was in the media focus again on Wednesday as the airline’s flights were first stopped in the morning and later resumed in the evening.

Zvartnots airport officials say the flights services for Armavia were terminated because of the company’s debt exceeding the amount of $1 million. The two companies reportedly agreed on that when resolving a major money dispute earlier this year.

Zvartnots Airport press secretary Gevorg Abrahamyan told ArmeniaNow on Thursday that Armavia’s debt to the airport reached $3.6 and $225,000 of that sum was paid on Wednesday, after which the service of Armavia flights resumed for several hours.

“We expected Armavia to pay some of that debt today as well, but they haven’t yet made any step in this direction, so this situation will continue as long as the airline does not take steps to reduce the amount of debt that it currently has,” said Abrahamyan.

Armavia spokesperson Nana Avetisova said on Thursday that the airline made payments on a daily basis and was gradually reducing its debt to the Zvartnots airport. She said that on October 17 the company made a fresh payment, but that money would not appear on the Zvartnots airport’s account until the next day.

Differences between Armavia and Armenia International Airports have emerged on quite a regular basis lately. The last time problems over payments and service-rendering emerged was in late September. Then the airport again suspended its services to the airline.

Armavia press secretary Avetisova said on Wednesday that the decision by Armenia International Airports to stop services most likely was due to the fact that the airline will soon have a new shareholder, which “the airport probably doesn’t like.”

But airport spokesman Abrahamyan told ArmeniaNow that they did not have any information about any new shareholder.

“We ourselves would like to know who this new shareholder is in order to clarify the relationship with the company,” he said.

Armavia does not yet disclose the name of its new shareholder, saying that “it is a commercial secret” and promising to report related information in due time.

Earlier, some local media reported that Argentine-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, whose company now manages the Zvartnots airport, was planning to buy Armavia. Eurnekian denied the reports later. The Armenian president’s son-in-law Mikael Minasyan has been named by some media as another possible buyer.

Source: armenianow.com

"Zvartnots" Airport will continue serving "Armavia"

"Zvartnots" Airport will resume serving flights of "Armavia" National Air Cargo Transportation Company, as the company has already transferred 90 million AMD to "Zvartnots". This was said by Press Secretary of "Zvartnots" Airport Gevorg Abrahamyan a conversation with "Armenpress".
Abrahamyan said: "We will continue serving "Armavia"  Air Cargo Transportation from 11:15 tomorrow till the 512th flight".
In one of the previous conversations with "Armenpress" Press Secretary of "Zvartnots" airport Gevorg Abrahamyan declared that "Zvartnots" Airport had again stopped serving flights of "Armavia" Airline, as "Armavia" exceeded the limit of debts mentioned in the agreement for 1 million USD.
This is not the first time that the airport refuses to serve flights of the airline. Last time "Zvartnots" Airport refused to serve flights of the airline on September 20, 2012.

Source: armenpress.am

Grounding of Armenian national carrier’s flights linked with new shareholder?

According to Armavia Airline Company, which is Armenia’s national carrier, Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport’s suspension of its services rendered to Armavia is linked with the emergence of the company’s new shareholder, an Armavia representative told Armenian News-NEWS.am.  
As per the company, it seems the airport’s administration is not happy with the appearance of a new shareholder. “But they did not consider that this causes an inconvenience for the passengers, the airport, and Armavia,” the company representative noted. Incidentally, the identity of the new shareholder will be announced in the coming days.
With respect to the query as to whether the reason for grounding the flights of Armavia is its exceeding the limit for outstanding debts, the representative stated that the debt is being paid on a daily basis. 
As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the Zvartnots International Airport once again suspended its services rendered to the flights of Armavia Airline Company. According to our information, the reason is again Armavia’s huge outstanding debts to the airport.
To note, Armavia’s flights were grounded in med-September as well, but, subsequently, the Armenia International Airports Company—which owns Zvartnots International Airport—had resumed Armavia’s flights because arrangement was made on the payment of debts.
The conflict between Armavia and Armenia International Airports continues for several months. Zvartnots had suspended Armavia’s flights a number of times, and for exceeding the limit for outstanding debts, but the parties had come to an agreement as a result of negotiations.

Source: news.am

Zvartnots airport resumes services to Armavia

Armenia International Airports CJSC (Zvartnots) resumed services to Armavia company 4:30 pm, local time, the airport’s spokesman said.
“Armavia has transferred AMD 90 mln to Zvartnots. Details on the airport’s servicing of the air company flights will be clarified tomorrow, 11:00 am,” Gevorg Abrahamyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
Dwelling on Armavia’s statement suggesting Zvartnots disapproves of the company’s new shareholder, the spokesman said the airport is unaware who the shareholder is.
“We ourselves would like to know his name to specify further relations with the air company,” he said.
Armenian national carrier Armavia has refused to reveal the name of the new shareholder of the company.
“That’s a business secret. We will announce the name when the time comes,” the company’s representative told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, conditioning the suspension of Zvartnots airport’s services to Armavia by the airport’s disapproval of the new shareholder.
Meanwhile, Zvartnots noted Armavia’s debts as the main reason behind the airport’s decision to halt servicing of the air company flights. The amount of Armavia’s debt exceeded the sum agreed on for over $1 million, bringing the total debt to $3,360 million.
As Armenian media outlets reported earlier, either owner of Zvartnots airport, Argentinean Armenian entrepreneur Eduardo Eurnekian, or Armenian president’s son-in-law Mikael Minasyan planned to purchase Armavia.

Source: panarmenian.net

Zvartnots airport continues services to Armavia air company

Zvartnots airport continues services to Armavia air company on September 24, airport spokesman said.  As Gevorg Abrahamyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the company paid part of debts to the airport.  Zvartnots airport suspended services to Armavia air company on September 19 over the latter’s debts. However, Armavia was allowed to continue flights to save passengers the inconvenience until September 24.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armavia hopes non-flying weather will clear by evening

Flight delay continues at Armenia’s Zvartnots International Airport due to bad weather conditions.
Delay of a number of flights to Moscow, Dubai, Athens and Novosibirsk is conditioned by non-flying weather, Armavia Air Company press service reported.
According to Armenian meteorological service, heavy snow will stop only at night, with 7-8 degrees fall of temperature forecast.
As Nelly Cherchinyan, a spokesperson for the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia (GDCA), told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, all takeoffs and landings have been canceled, with flights to resume 40 minutes after the snow stops.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armenia International Airports Deputy Director rejects tariff rise

Zvartnots International Airport did not raise fares for airlines, Deputy Director of Armenia International Airports said on Nov 7.
Dwelling on agreements reached by Armavia Airlines, Andranik Shkhyan noted that flight schedule will remain unchanged until the middle of the week, adding that tensions between the parties are common in commercial relations.
Armavia Air Company was urged to delay 3 flights due to the policy pursued by Zvartnots Airport leadership. As Armavia spokesperson Nana Avetisova told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Zvartnots has raised winter tariff rates for the company. “We are currently reviewing tariff policy for the company,” she said.
Airport spokesman Gevorg Abrahamyan, in turn, rejected any kind of price upsurges. According to him, the flights were delayed due to company’s debts to the airport which twice surpasses the norm set. Mr. Abrahamyan also noted that in case of Armavia’s debt default current situation may remain unchanged.

Source: panarmenian.net

Zvartnots hi-tech airport terminal opens in Yerevan

In the framework of events dated to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, new terminal of Zvartnots airport was put into operation.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, ambassadors accredited to Armenia, as well as Armenian-born Argentine businessman Eduardo Eurnekian attended the opening ceremony on September 16.
At 34 thousand sqm, the hi-tech terminal, complete with VIP halls, 46 check-in counters, an extensive parking lot, will enable servicing of up to 3,5 mln passengers annually.
The construction of Zvartnots terminal, specifically designed for high earthquake stability, took USD160 mln in investments.

Source: panarmenian.net

Yerevan Airport Reconstruction Nearing Completion

An Argentine company managing Armenia’s main international airport pledged on Wednesday to essentially complete its multimillion-dollar reconstruction and more than double the airport capacity this year.

The Corporacion America group of Eduardo Eurnekian, an Argentine billionaire of Armenian descent, took over the Zvartnots airport near Yerevan in 2002 after signing a 30-year management contract with the Armenian government.

The agreement committed it to building a new airport terminal and modernizing other airport facilities left over from the Soviet era. The terminal’s arrivals section went into service in 2006, while work on the larger departures section is still going on.

Andranik Shikhkian, Zvartnots’s deputy managing director, told journalists that the construction will be complete by the end of this year. He said Eurnekian’s group, which operates over 30 airports across South America, has invested $160 million in the 34,000 square-meter facility.

According to Shikhkian, this will allow Zvartnots to handle up to 3 million passengers a year, up from 1.1 million passengers who used it last year. “Compared with Azerbaijan and Georgia, we will have a twice bigger capacity, both in terms of passenger traffic and use of modern technology,” he said.

Shikhkian added that the new terminal will also significantly speed up passenger check-in at Zvartnots. “In place of 24 check-in desks existing now we will have 46 ones,” he said. “Check-in lines have long been the main source of complaints by passengers.”

The official also expressed hope that the upgraded airport will attract more transit flights from Europe, the Middle East and Asia. “The airport can simultaneously accept up to 10 flights per hour,” he said. “Right now, we have up to five flights every hour.”

It remains to be seen whether the expensive reconstruction will have any impact on the cost of the airport’s ground services for airlines and the national Armavia carrier in particular. Armavia has long accused the Zvartnots management of setting exorbitant tariffs that are higher than even in western Europe.

As recently last March, Zvartnots delayed several Armavia flights over the private airline’s alleged failure to pay its outstanding debts. The two sides traded recriminations before settling the dispute.

“Our airport is much cheaper than the airports in, say, Vienna or London,” insisted Shikhkian. He stressed that the airport fees have not changed since 2002.

The Zvartnots complex is also expected to become soon home to Armenia’s first-ever tax-free zone that will mainly cater for domestically grown agricultural produce to be exported abroad. It will reportedly have warehouses equipped with refrigerators, packaging facilities and a food safety laboratory.

The creation of the tax haven is envisaged by Eurnekian’s 2001 agreement with the Armenian government. The Argentine tycoon, who has a warm rapport with Armenia’s current and former presidents, owns hundreds of hectares of vineyards and orchards in the Ararat Valley adjacent to the airport. 

Source: azatutyun.am

Armavia становится должником российских аэропортов

Армянская авиакомпания Armavia готовится принять первый российский лайнер Superjet. Однако перевозчику, возможно, придется скорректировать торжественную церемонию, связанную с началом эксплуатации нового самолета. Проблема — в больших долгах Armavia перед аэропортом Внуково, из-за чего первый рейс может быть перенесен в Домодедово.
Как рассказал источник РБK daily в аэропорту Внуково, авиакомпания Armavia перестала платить за обслуживание своих рейсов. По его словам, сейчас долг перевозчика перед аэропортом достиг 70 млн руб. Не исключено, что перевозчик вообще прекратит полеты из этого аэропорта. По словам другого источника, с финансовыми проблемами был связан перенос церемонии открытия первого коммерческого рейса нового российского лайнера Superjet из аэропорта Внуково в Домодедово. Официальный представитель Внуково отметил, что авиакомпания действительно задолжала аэропорту, однако речи о закрытии рейсов из Внуково не ведется. «Перевозчик стоит в расписании аэропорта до осени», — сказала РБК daily официальный представитель Внуково.
У Armavia проблемы не только с российскими аэропортами. Вчера армянские СМИ сообщили о том, что авиакомпания выпустила с задержкой в среднем в 5 ч рейсы Ереван — Рим, Ереван — Ростов, Ереван — Тегеран, Ереван — Дели и отменила рейсы Ереван — Мюнхен. Согласно сайту ереванского аэропорта Звартноц, в среду были отменены рейсы в Москву (Шереметьево) и Амман. Согласно сайту аэропорта Внуково рейс из Еревана вместо планируемых 16.20 вылетел в 21.40. Ранее 16 марта Armavia задерживала свои рейсы на час в знак протеста против высоких цен, установленных аэропортом Звартноц. Однако пресс-секретарь Звартноца Геворг Абрамян вчера пояснил армянскому изданию Tert.am, что у Armavia большой долг перед аэропортом. Гендиректору авиакомпании Armavia Михаилу Багдасарову РБК daily вчера дозвониться не удалось.
Авиакомпания Armavia является стартовым покупателем нового российского самолета Superjet. В компании — производителе самолета «Гражданские самолеты Сухого» РБК daily вчера заявили, что «компания их уведомила, что возникшие проблемы были урегулированы, компанию интересует, чтобы заказчик выполнил все предусмотренные контрактом условия поставки Superjet». Первый Superjet будет поставлен армянской авиакомпании в апреле.
 

Source: rbcdaily.ru

Zvartnots, Armavia settle disagreements through help of civil aviation authority

In the evening of March 18, Armenia International Airports CJSC, which is operating Yerevan's Zvartnots airport, and Armavia air company signed a memorandum of understanding having come to an agreement on current issues, the head of civil aviation authority of Armenia, Artem Movsisyan stated.
As the chief executive at Zvartnots airport Marcelo Vende noted, issues they're facing could have occurred in any country. “We realize that Armavia is making major investments, purchasing new planes, which is beneficial to the airport. However have our own investments to make and hope that the air company understands that. The airport must fulfill its obligations to the creditors,” he said. As the chief executive stated, the agreement signed stipulates for “debt threshold” which the air company is not allowed to exceed.
Armavia President Mikhail Baghdasarov, in turn, apologized for the inconvenience to air company passengers.
In response to the discontent of Armavia national carrier protesting high tariffs for the Zvartnots airport's services, the Armenia International Airports CJSC issued a statement to say that the present aircraft handling tariffs were established in 2005 taking into consideration the airport development Master Plan and has not changed up to this date.
In the morning of March 16, Armavia delayed the flights for an hour to protest against the high service prices established by Zvartnots international airport. On the same day, Armavia President Mikhail Baghdasarov stated that the service prices at Zvartnots exceed those of Moscow, Rome and Paris by 3, 2.5 and 1.5 times respectively.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armenia Airport, Airline Settle Debt Row

Armenia’s main international airport and national airline said on Monday that they have settled a bitter financial dispute that threatened to disrupt the country’s air communication with the outside world.

Yerevan’s Zvartnots airport last week delayed several flights by the Armavia carrier for what it called a failure to pay outstanding debts for airport ground services.

Armavia executives denied that and said Zvartnots’s Argentine management has drastically raised its service fees. They claimed that the tariffs were already much higher than those charged by major airports in Russia and western Europe. The airport chief executive, Marcelo Vende, responded by accusing the airline of spreading “disinformation.”

The two sides announced that they signed on Friday a compromise agreement brokered by the Armenian government’s Civil Aviation Department. But they refused to disclose details of the deal.

“All issues have been resolved,” Armavia’s Russian-Armenian owner, Mikhail Bagdasarov, said. “I’m not going to tell you how because it’s a commercial deal. Both sides are satisfied.”

“We certainly wanted to gain more. But the two sides are making concessions to each other,” he told at a joint news conference with Vende and Artyom Movsesian, head of the Civil Aviation Department.

“We understand that Armavia is making a lot of investments, trying to bring more aircraft to Armenia and seeking to develop civil aviation in Armenia,” Vende said, for his part. “But we also have liabilities to various foreign banks and Armavia should understand that we have made a lot of investments in the new terminal which we will inaugurate this autumn.”

According to Movsesian, the Zvartnots management agreed to reschedule the repayment of “a considerable part” of Armavia’s debt. He gave no further details, and it thus remained unclear how much Armavia owes to Zvartnots.

Bagdasarov said last week that his company spends between $4 million and $8 million a month on various services provided by the airport.

Zvartnots is run by the Corporacion America group of Eduardo Eurnekian, an Argentine billionaire of Armenian descent, in accordance with a long-term management agreement signed with the Armenian government in 2002. Eurnekian has pledged to invest more than $100 million in rebuilding the airport and upgrading its facilities. 

 

Source: azatutyun.am

Armavia and Zvartnots airport came to terms

Armavia air company and “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC have come to terms, head of Armenia’s civil aviation department told the journalists on Monday.
Artyom Movsisyan noted representatives of two companies met last Friday at the invitation of civil aviation department to discuss disputable issues. He said the sides – Armavia, “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC and civil aviation department signed a memorandum on mutual understanding.
Armavia’s owner Mikhail Baghdasarov and Marcelo Wende, managing director of “Armenia” International Airports” CJSC, assured they had settled dispute over Armavia’s debts. The sides stressed they had reached consensus, refusing to disclose the details.
The heads of both companies promised disputes will not affect passengers’ interests in the future.
Last week Armavia air company suspended its flights from Zvartnots airport for an hour last week in protest against high prices for airport’s services. Earlier Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport suspended flights of Armavia air company due to debts.

Source: news.am