National carrier Armavia resumes flights

Armavia Air Company has resumed operation. According to Armenia International Airports CJSC, Armavia reached an agreement with the Federal Russian Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) regarding the company’s debts.
On Tuesday, March 6, RA General Department of Civil Aviation hosted a meeting between representatives of Armenia International Airports CJSC and Armavia Air Company. A decision was taken to hold another meeting on coming Tuesday.
“Hopefully, both passengers of Armavia and other airline companies will be serviced properly,” Armenia International Airports CJSC message says.

Source: panarmenian.net

Short Grounding: Armavia stages delay, aviation department steps in

Armavia, Armenia’s “national carrier” airline, went on a short-lived strike today, in protest of what it called unfair administrative fees at Yerevan’s Zvartnot’s International Airport, while Armenia International Airports company says that Armavia is grounded because of outstanding debts that prohibit it from making flights to Russia.

Armavia launched the strike early this morning, halting three flights (two to Moscow and one to Rostov).

Armenia’s General Department of Civil Aviation and airline representatives called a quick meeting and in less than two hours, Armavia had called off the strike as sides in the dispute agreed to negotiate a settlement in the coming weeks.

By mid-afternoon Tuesday, passengers enroute to Moscow and to Rostov are being boarded for continuation of their delayed flights.

“All flights were cancelled, but as of now we have resumed the works and our further actions will be clear next Tuesday, by the end of the negotiations,” says Armavia Aviation Company’s press secretary Nana Avetisova.

Gevorg Abrahamyan, Spokesman for Armenia International Airports Company has reported earlier that Armavia Company, being a national means of transportation, unlike other aviation companies enjoys the special tariffs defined by Armenia International Airports Company.

“Moreover, according to the telegram received by the Rosnavigation Organization, Armavia Company’s flights to Russia and its entrance to the air territory of Russia are banned due to its debts. Most probably the tariffs not only in Armenia but also in Russia are too high for the aviation company,” Abrahamyan says adding that the flights carried out by other companies are not halted and are uninterrupted.

Armavia Company carries out about 500 flights monthly, and their number reaches 700 monthly in summer.

Source: armenianow.com

Striking Armenian airline company refuses to accept tickets back

Those passengers, who were to use Armavia Airline Company’s services from Armenian capital Yerevan’s Zvartnots International Airport on Tuesday morning, are unable to leave the Airport, and they have not even been registered.   
They told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the Airport staff informed them that Armavia is not conducting flights because of the Airport’s raising of the prices. And they did not announce as to when Armavia’s flights will resume.   
And with respect to Armavia Press Secretary Nana Avetisova’s announcement that the waiting passengers will receive food and water, the passengers collectively noted that they had not received anything.  
At present, Zvartnots and Armavia representatives are conducting talks. 
According to preliminary data, three Armavia flights are postponed so far.
Also, the Armavia office is refusing to accept back the passengers’ tickets and is advising them to return the tickets to the tourism agencies.    
In her turn, Armavia Airline Company’s Press Secretary Nana Avetisova informed that they have a problem solely with Zvartnots, and not with the Russian companies. 
And after the uproar which the news reporters raised, Nana Avetisova informed that they have ordered water and food for the waiting passengers.
To note, Armavia Airline Company’s Press Secretary Nana Avetisova had told Armenian News-NEWS.am that the Company declared a strike. She also informed that the strike will continue unless Zvartnots Airport changed its price policy. And the “Armenia” International Airports Company released a statement in response to the strike which the Armavia Airline Company announced on Tuesday morning. “The Armavia Airline Company today halted its service to the Yerevan-Moscow and Yerevan-Rostov flights, and announced to the passengers that the service is halted because of the [Armenian capital Yerevan’s Zvartnots International] Airport’s high prices. Being the national carrier, Armavia Company benefits from our company’s special prices. Furthermore, [and] because of the accumulated debts, Armavia Company is prohibited to carry out flights toward Russia and enter Russian air space. Our company negatively assesses Armavia Airline Company’s inappropriate exploitation and [its] unfounded and false comments, and regrets that solely the national carrier has found itself in such situation,” the “Armenia” International Airports Company’s statement specifically read.

Source: http://news.am

Armavia keeps developing amid airline industry drop

Oil price surge amid international tensions negatively affects airline industry, according to Armavia airline company owner.
“This led to the bankruptcy of several international airline companies, namely Czech Airlines, Spanish airlines, while Frankfurt airport is on strike,” Mikhail Baghdasarov said.
In this context, the company owner dismissed the dependence of the air ticket prices on the company itself.
“We will do the utmost to prevent extreme price rise,” he said.
On February 29, Transaero Airlines started launching regular flights by Moscow-Yerevan-Moscow route under the codeshare agreement reached with Armavia Airlines at the end of 2011. Baghdasarov further noted that already in April the second aircraft Sukhoi Superjet will be at Armavia’s disposal. The company also plans to replenish its fleet with 321 and 320 airbuses.
Despite tense situation in global airline industry, Armavia keeps developing.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armenian tourism agencies blame Armavia Airline Company and its owner – newspaper

Armenia’s several tourism agencies have serious problems in connection with the New Year passenger transportation, and as a result they have suffered losses worth tens of thousands of dollars, Hraparak daily writes.  
“Specifically, one such agency owes a huge amount to a hotel in Dubai, for the previously made reservations, since some of the passengers had canceled their tour packages at the last moment. And criminal cases are brought. Just to note, the agencies blame Armavia [Airline Company] and [its owner] Mikhail Baghdasarov for their losses,” Hraparak writes.

Source: news.am 

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

Armavia startet Verbindung Berlin - Jerewan ab März 2012

Endlich ist es wieder soweit. Der Winterschlaf ist vorbei und die neue Sommersaison ruft.
Ab sofort können Sie Ihren Kunden wieder Flüge ab Berlin (BER) nach Jerewan (EVN) mit Armavia buchen.

Flugpreis schon ab 290 EUR zzgl. Steuern und Gebühren

Ab dem 26.03.2012 fliegt Armavia dienstags um 09:20 in Jerewan ab und erreicht Berlin um 10:25 Ortszeit. Der Abflug ab der deutschen Haupstadt ist um 12:00 und Ankunft in Jerewan um 18:45.

Flugtickets einfach online buchen: www.armavia.org

Source: pulexpress

Neu ab Willy Brandt Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg (BER)

Mit Armavia können Ihre Kunden ab dem 05.Juni 2012 vom modernsten Flughafen Europas nach Armenien abfliegen. Ganz entspannt mit dem Auto, Bus oder Bahn am Flughafen (BER) ankommen und in nur wenigen Schritten einchecken und sich zum Gate begeben. Mit modernen und neuen Fluggeräten dann nonstop in wenigen Stunden die Haupstadt Armeniens erreichen.

Flugpreis schon ab 290 EUR zzgl. Steuern und Gebühren.

Flugplan U8
Ab 05. Juni 2012
Donnerstags
U8 116 Berlin-Jerewan
12:00—18:45
U8 115 Jerewan-Berlin
09:20—10:25

Flugtickets einfach online buchen: www.armavia.org

Source: pulexpress

Fliegen Sie ab vielen deutschen Städten via Berlin nach Erevan

Wieso unnötige Fahrten zum Flughafen, doppelte Check-In Prozesse und Wartezeiten im Abflugbereich in Kauf nehmen, wenn man auch einfach mit Armavia fliegen kann. Erreichen Sie die armenische Hauptstadt Erevan von verschiedenen Städten* noch schneller, günstiger und komfortabler. *Zubringer Flüge werden mit Armavia Partner airberlin durchgeführt.

Flugpreis schon ab 330 (Beispiel ab DUS) EUR zzgl. Steuern und Gebühren

Flugtickets einfach online buchen: www.armavia.org

Source: pulexpress

Armenia’s Armavia makes all flights to Europe despite bad weather

Armenian Armavia air company operated Yerevan-Paris flight without delay on Monday despite bad weather in Europe, Armavia’s spokesperson Nana Avetisova told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
“Yerevan-Paris flight was made without any delay. Besides, all the flights of Armavia are carried out according to schedule,” she said.
To note, British main airport Heathrow cancelled over 150 flights due to snow. Meantime, the airport receives dozens of international flights. In addition, French pilots of Air France Company declared to go on strike from Monday till Thursday. Spanish pilots of Iberia Company will hold round day strikes on Feb. 13

Source: http://news.am

Israel-Armenia Direct: Flights to begin in April

A deal has been reached between Israeli Eshet Tours and Armenia’s national air carrier Armavia to begin service between the two countries.

Direct service will begin in April and continue through summer offering two flights per week. The tour company also plans to offer tourism packages to Armenia.

Sorce: armenianow.com

Armenia, Israel establish direct air communication

Israeli Eshet Tours company has signed a deal with the Armenian national carrier Armavia to represent the Armenian company in Israel.
The direct flights between the states will be operated starting from April.
At the moment Armavia is conducting only one flight a week by 50-seats plane. Starting from April two flights a week will be operated until autumn, the Marker newspaper reports.
Eshet Tours plans to sell tourist packages, including tours to Armenia as well.

Source: news.am

20-percent downsizing at Armenian airline company - newspaper

Armenia’s Armavia airline company’s newly appointed president Norayr Belluyan informed that the company is not being sold, Aravot daily writes.
‘“The proprietor does not want to sell, or does not yet intend on selling, the company.’ To Aravot’s question as to whether there truly is a downsizing at Armavia, he responded: ‘There were, there are, and there will be downsizing. We are downsizing those who work inefficiently. The company now has 380 employees, [and] twenty percent was downsized. I should also note that many are not downsized, or dismissed, but rather sent on vacation at their expense, because the [economic] crisis will end tomorrow, the flights will increase, [and] those people will probably be asked to return to their work,’” Aravot writes.

Source: news.am

Newly appointed...

Newly appointed director of “Armavia” Norayr Belluyan told “Aravot” that “Armavia” is not sold. “I have read such rumors in the internet but I do not want to pay attention to them. I just know that the owner does not want to sell his company. I believe in it and I do not have any other information about the possible buyers.”

Source: times.am

Zhoghovurd: Mass downsizing at Armenian airline company?

Businessman Mikhail Baghdasarov wishes to establish a new airline company named YerevanAvia, whereas mass downsizing has begun at Baghdasarov’s Armavia Company, Zhoghovurd daily writes, referring to well-informed sources.
“Armavia’s employee Norayr Beluyan was dismissed. But, in response to the newspaper’s query, Armavia’s spokesperson Nana Avetisova denied this news. [She said:] ‘I confidently announce that Beluyan works at Armavia as president. And this bespeaks that he not only is not dismissed, but he has received a promotion.’ And concerning the establishing of the YerevanAvia Company, Avetisova said she heard about this for the first time from the newspaper. To note, Armavia has certain financial problems in connection with [Armenia’s] Zvartnots [International] Airport, and there were incidents when the flights were delayed,” Zhoghovurd writes.

Source: news.am

Armenian-Lithuanian relations became more intensive, especially in political field – Interview

Armenian News-NEWS.am presents an interview with Lithuania’s Ambassador to Armenia H.E. Giedrius Apuokas.
In 2011 Lithuania held chairmanship in the OCSE. How did it affect the relations between Armenia and Lithuania?
Chairmanship in the OCSE for Lithuania one of the most responsible tasks assumed in the International Organizations yet, I would not say, that changed character of our relations, but definitely made them more intensive, especially in the political field. Just to remember the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Audronius Ažubalis in the capacity of the Chairman of OSCE, visit of the President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė, other high ranking officials from MFA and MoD. These visits mostly concentrated on issues related to the chairmanship and issues of regional significance, but that also was excellent opportunity to touch upon bilateral issues. While speaking about relations between Armenia and Lithuania, I can’t pass over other events and facts that are not related to the OSCE. We had very interesting visit of our Minister of Education Gintaras Steponavičius to Armenia, which opens possibilities for exchange of students, cooperation between state institutions of both states in field of reforms in the field of different levels of education, direct relations between our universities and colleges. We are looking forward to the visit of delegation of the Ministry of Education of Armenia at the beginning of next year. We are actively involved in passing of relevant Lithuanian expertise in field of reforms using frameworks provided by EU. Our experts are part of the team of EU Advisory Group, from the beginning of next year Lithuanian experts will lead two EU-Armenia Twinning projects and participate in one as younger partner.     
          
This year was marked by a significant event – opening of the Armenian Embassy in Vilnius. What is your opinion how will opening of the embassy affect development of relations in the field of economy?
Opening of Armenian Embassy in Vilnius is sincerely appreciated by Lithuanian side and certainly will have positive impact on all aspects of our relations, including economic ties, although our embassy in Yerevan is making any available effort to provide information to businessmen on both sides, but Lithuanian businessmen now will have source of information closer to home and with different experience and knowledge, that can provide we.

How do you assess economic relations between our states? What development prospects do they have?
Economic relations is one of the fields of our relations where there is a lot of space for improvement, said that, I should note, that there is a clear rise of interest of Lithuanian companies in activities in Armenia during approximately one year. Some Lithuanian businessmen are exploring possibilities for trade and investment, others are already here. Baltic Information Technologies, Visaginas based company, is involved in creation of software for Metzamor nuclear power plant, ACME Lithuania, largest distributor of IT products in Baltic states acquired Armenian IT company and established ACC Armenia, company with ambitions to become largest wholesale IT distributor in Armenia. Lithuanian company Ecoservice participates in tender declared by Yerevan municipality for the waste management and I hope will succeed, Avia Solutions Group from Vilnius explores possibilities provide different services for aviation industries and already provides pilot training for Armavia, one of the largest Lithuanian food industry companies VICI Group also operates on Armenian market. These intensifying ties provide hope for expanding of future economic cooperation.

How do you like to spend the holidays? What Lithuanian Christmas or New Year tradition can you name?
Since I have family spread over the Europe, we are planning to gather for the Christmas Eve at our home in Vilnius, according to Lithuanian tradition this evening is spent in the circle of the closest family, having meal (at least 12 dishes, without meat or dairy products) together, exchanging gifts at the end and a lot of the people attends night Mass at the church. During couple of next days, which are Christmas holiday you are supposed to meet friends and celebrate. New Year is party time, mostly and mainly enjoyed by younger people, who leave homes for clubs, private parties, sometimes in country side, others celebrate on the streets and city squares.

And finally, your wishes to the Armenian people.  
Sincere wishes of bright spirits and festive mood for Christmas time, enjoy being together, sharing love and happiness within your families and with your friends. For the New Year I would like to wish, first of all Peace and, of course, good health, joy, prosperity in the families and the State, fruitful work which would bring you satisfaction.

Source: news.am

Аrmavia presented airliner Boeing 737-500

Armenia's national air carrier, Armavia, presented today its airliner Boeing 737-500.

"It is a very nice, comfortable aircraft with 110 seats. We have bought two aircrafts for Armavia, the second will be delivered soon,’ Armavia owner Mikhail Bagdasarov told reporters.

He said the aircraft was bought from Czech Airlines. The second Boeing will be delivered to Armenia on December 15.

According to Bagdasarov, Boeing 737-500 is designed for medium-haul flights - up to 4 thousand miles in all directions, including Dubai, Moscow, Italian Milan, Venice and Rome. 

However, he did not say how much the company paid for it.

"We have handed back leased expensive aircrafts, replacing them with cheaper ones," Bagdasarov said.

Armavia National Air Company was established in 1996. The company meets IATA international requirements. Armavia operates over 100 flights a day to more than 40 destinations in 20 countries. Its fleet of aircrafts comprises А320-3, А319-3, CRJ-200, Yak-42-VIP, Il-86, Sukhoi Superjet and Boeing.

Source: arka.am

Armavia renewed with new aircraft

Armavia Air Company fleet was was renewed with a new Boeing 737-500 aircraft. The latter arrived in Yerevan on November 23.
According to Armavia President Mikhail Baghdasarov, the aircraft, purchased from Czech Airlines, has a cabin of 108 seats.
“The aircraft will launch a flight after it is painted to match company's brand," Baghdasarov said.
The Armavia company was established in 1996, but commercial flights to Russia and Turkey only started in 2001. In 2003 Air Company obtained license for international air transportation previously belonging to Air Company “Armenian Airlines”. In 2005 Armavia became current member of International Air Transport Association. In 2006 it became user of “Flight Operations Monitoring” program - System of the flight data decryption and analyzing BC A320/319.

Source: panarmenian.net

Armenia’s Armavia to buy three more Sukhoi Superjet in 2012

CEO of Armenia’s national air carrier, Armavia, Mikhail Baghdasarov, told Prime News that his company plans to conclude a firm contract for the delivery of three Sukhoi Superjet 100 in 2012.
Speaking at a news conference today Baghdasarov said the second Sukhoi Superjet will be delivered before the end of this year, following which the contract will be signed for delivery of three more planes. Armavia was the first company to start commercial operation of new short-haul airliner.
Bagdasarov said the operation of the plane has revealed some problems that need to be eliminated.
Armavia National Air Company was established in 1996. The company meets IATA international requirements. Armavia operates over 100 flights a day to more than 40 destinations in 20 countries. It possesses 11 aircrafts - А320-3, А319-3, CRJ-200, Yak-42-VIP and Il-86 and Superjet -100.

Source: arka.am

Armavia Airlines: new flights from Malpensa, Rome and Venice towards Armenia

As from the end of next March, the new direct services operated by Armavia Airlines from Milan-Malpensa to Armenia (Yerevan) every Thursday, will start. The carrier will operate direct flights from Venice every Sunday and from Rome every Tuesday.

The duration of connections, made ​​with A-319 aircraft, is approximately 4 hours. The airline operates also domestic flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi, Georgia. The fleet now consists of 4 A-319, three A-320 and a CRJ-200. The airline was also the first to use the Sukhoi Superjet 100, a new generation aircraft with 75/100 seats developed by Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC), in collaboration with Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica Company.

Armavia has ordered three A-320 and three Sukhoi and two CRJ.

Source: avionews.com

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

Armavia Airlines to be sold to President Sargsyan’s son-in-law?

Dwelling on information regarding part of Armavia’s summer staff being dismissed and company being sold to President Serzh Sargsyan’s son-in-law Mikael Minasyan at a convenient price, Armavia Airlines spokesperson Nana Sargsyan said the information is not true to fact.
On November 3 Armavia flights were delayed due to company’s debts to Zvartnots Airport which twice surpasses the norm set. Despite Armavia’s statement on Zvartnots having raised winter tariff rates for the company Deputy Director of Armenia International Airports rejected tariff rise for airlines.
Flight schedule will remain unchanged until the middle of the week.
According to Nana Sargsyan, negotiations on tariff policy with Airport Directorate are in progress.

Source: panarmenian.net

Yerevan-Moscow flight delayed due to misunderstanding between airport and air company

A Yerevan-Moscow flight was delayed in Zvartnots Armenian International Airport. The reason is that the Armavia air company has not reached understanding with Armenia International Airports company, spokesperson for Armavia Nana Avetisova told Armenian News-NEWS.am.
“The airport increased service prices for winter season. The negotiations are underway. According to Armavia’s leadership, the airport is already built and prices can be reviewed,” she said.
Meanwhile, passengers of Yerevan-Moscow flight are waiting for check in which will not start until the sides reach agreement. Besides, the passengers of other Yerevan-Moscow flights are likely to be faced with the same difficulties.

Source: news.am

Armavia to expand geography of flights

Armavia air company jointly with Transaero airlines, will coordinate of point-to-point flights though Russia’s Domodedovo international airport, thus expanding their geography.
From now on, Armavia customers will have a chance to visit a range of cities including South Sakhalinsk, Anadir, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk, Magadan, Yakutsk, Omsk, Astana, Almaty, Tashkent, Riga as well as London, New York, Beijing, Miami and many others.

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

Armenian national carrier has “too Russian” directors – WikiLeaks

Completely reversing its previous investment policy, Armenia’s main flag carrier, Armavia Airlines, is halting its plans to expand towards Europe. The company plans to move to European standards and is replacing its modern aircraft with older Soviet models in an effort to reduce costs, reads the cable released by WikiLeaks. Armenian News-NEWS.am posts the cable.
“The move is a breach of Armavia’s agreement with the Government of Armenia and is a vote of no confidence in the commercial viability of a modern airline servicing European routes from Yerevan.
Bob Chaplin, a British consultant who has been managing Armavia, told us that Armavia’s directors have decided that the investments necessary to expand Armavia’s service to European cities were not justified. Specifically, he said that they were unwilling to accept losses in the initial years of investment and preferred to pocket the earnings from cheap but profitable point-to-point flights in the CIS.  According to Chaplin, for the moment Armavia will continue to operate its current European flights to Frankfurt and Amsterdam in order to avoid forfeiting its exclusive licenses to the routes, for which the company paid USD 14.5 million.  Chaplin noted that these routes will remain profitable through summer, but after that he expects that Armavia will probably try to sell the licenses or liquidate during next winter.
The sudden reorganization of Armavia’s assets signals a clear exit strategy from the European routes. Armavia will transfer three of its five Airbus 320s to Siberian Airlines in Russia and replace them with old Soviet planes that are not allowed to land in European Airports. (Note:  Siberian Air owns a controlling share of Armavia Airlines)  The airline has also halted negotiations with Lufthansa on interline connections through Frankfurt and have withdrawn their bid for International Air Transport Association (IATA) certification.
“The directors are too Russian,” Chaplin told us when asked why Armavia had failed in its plan to become a western airline.  The expense of meeting European standards had proven to be far more than the directors anticipated or were willing to bear.  He higlighted as examples the fact that the directors refused to fly scheduled flights when they were not full, refused to contract an attorney to negotiate interline agreements, and refused to open their aircraft and their books to inspection by third parties.
Armavia’s withdrawal from its strategy puts it in breach of several investment conditions of its contract with the GOAM:  it is not yet clear how the government will react, however.  In case of a material breach the government has the right to cancel Armavia’s licenses and resell them to another airline.  According to Viktor Mnatsakanian, the legal advisor to Minister of Justice David Harutunyan, the Minister is aware of Armavia’s move but the government has not yet taken any decision on how to respond.
If the GOAM were to revoke Armavia’s licenses it could exacerbate the situation considerably:  Armavia’s USD 14 million loss would likely send danger signs to potential investors.  The reversal of Armavia’s strategy is a serious blow to Armenia’s civil aviation industry, suggesting that Armenia cannot support an airline that meets modern Western standards and depriving a land-locked country of vital transportation links.”

Source: news.am

MAKS: Armavia doubles Superjet presence at show

Armavia's first Sukhoi Superjet, the initial production aircraft, demonstrated its capabilities at the MAKS show four months after the type entered airline service with the Armenian carrier.
It spent an hour in the skies over Moscow, showing off its performance to media representatives.
The PowerJet SaM146-equipped aircraft, named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, started operating for Armavia on 21 April and by 7 August it had clocked up 617 flight hours across 250 operations.
Sukhoi said the aircraft (EK-95015) had flown on a network from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, covering 20 airports in Russia and Ukraine, as well as Europe and the Middle East.
Daily utilisation had reached, in some cases, up to 16.5h, the airframer said, which displayed the Armavia twinjet at MAKS along with one of its prototype Superjets.
"The aircraft fully confirmed its operability on regional as well as short- and medium-haul sectors," it added.

Aeroflot is the only other user of the type so far, and had logged 227h in 139 operations by 7 August, having put the twinjet into service on 16 June.
It has deployed Superjet on routes from Moscow Sheremetyevo to St Petersburg, Nizhny Novgorod, Ufa and Ekaterinburg.
While Aeroflot's initial experience has not been entirely smooth, Sukhoi said: "Entering commercial operation is one of the most critical and difficult stages of a programme to create a new airliner.
"At the initial stage, without exception, all new aircraft are faced with unforeseen technical problems that may emerge only during intensive use.
"In the first year - especially in the first months - aircraft-on-ground situations occur much more frequently than in subsequent operations."
Sukhoi added that the key issue is not the problems but the speed at which they are resolved.
No such problems emerged during the Armavia demonstration flight, during which participants were able to make a rare in-flight visit to the cockpit.
Sky Aviation of Indonesia has signed for 12 of the twinjets at the show, and sources familiar with the situation say Russian energy giant Gazpromavia also intends to take 10.

Source: flightglobal.com

Armavia Armenian Airlines dumps Gérard Depardieu for taking the piss on rival carrier

French big nose and Cyrano de Bergerac actor Gérard Depardieu has had a TV advertising contract pulled following an incident aboard an Irish incontinental - er...intercontinental! - airline.

The 62 year-old was enroute to Dublin from Paris before bladder tragedy struck prompting him to find relief on a City Airtours carpet.

Someone in Cattle Class caught the incident on video and leaked it to his Armenian sponsors.

The triple-A carrier whose onboard facilities are whimsically named 'standard' (ie business class) and 'poor' (economy) awarded Depardieu a multi-million dollar contract last year to promote their Sukhoi Superjet on Euronews TV channel ads.

The fly-by-wire plane has done away with onboard loos and replaced much reviled WC cubicles with an innovative - and sturdy/waterproof! - 'sick bag' equivalent.

At the press of a button this slides into position on passenger seats so that immediate relief is at hand without any cumbersome trip down the plane aisle.

Another button then automatically seals the piss bag and sends it to storage in a custom-built underfloor dumpster.

A spokesperson for the Armenian airline said today there was widespread feeling that Depardieu 'had been taking the piss' with his extra-curricular contract violation.

A copy of the Irish plane video can be seen on the YouBoob! Channel No 5

Source: thespoof.com

SaM146 Enters Service

"We plan quite a huge ramp-up in production of the SaM146 engine for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 regional airliner," says Marc Sorel, Country Delegate in Russia for Safran, which makes the engine in a joint venture with NPO Saturn.
Plans call for 24 engines to be in service by the end of 2011, "and next year will be another huge ramp-up," he said.
Today, four engines are in scheduled operation on the two Superjets delivered, one each to the Armenian airline Armavia and Russia’s Aeroflot. The third Superjet is expected to be delivered during MAKS 2011.
Sorel said the engine is working well. Armavia has logged 700 hours and carried 11,000 passengers since putting the aircraft into service in April, and it is currently flying six one-hour flights a day. Aeroflot took delivery in June and plans six flights a day, but has suffered two groundings of the aircraft, though not for engine problems, Sorel said.
Armavia grounded its aircraft to change an engine, a process that stretched out to nearly a week due to customs issues, he said. "There are just two aircraft, so this is a very cautious entry into service. We don’t want to take any risks."
"The engine is proving very robust," Sorel noted, and survived an in-flight birdstrike unscathed. "Fuel consumption is exactly what we expected, and the airlines are satisfied." Cabin noise is also very low, he added.
John Morris

Source: ato.ru

Armavia receives third CRJ200

Armavia (Armenia) will receive its third CRJ200 plane today, News  

Armenia cites the press secretary of the company, Nana Avetisova, as saying.
The plane was named after Armenian composer Arno Babajanyan.

The CRJ200 is a medium-haul passenger plane developed by Bombardier
Aircraft (part of the Bombardier Aerospace Corporation). It is an
improved model of the Canadair Regional Jet CRj-100. It operates in
mountainous and hot climates.

Source: vestnikkavkaza.net