The problem is that there is a 20-50% difference in business and economy flight tickets. However, according to passengers, there is a difference in service too. Vice-director of the commercial department of “Armavia”, Andrey Aghajanov, assures that the seats and tables in the business class are more comfortable, and there is variety in nutrition, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, as well as newspapers. There are more heavy items transferred free of charge. Besides that, there are practically no fees for returning business class tickets or changing flight dates. Passengers complain that they watch the same films on the plane in the same week while traveling business class.
“Currently, we are doing everything we can to get new films and show something fresh and new to our passengers. I hope we won’t be getting any complaints anytime soon,” says A. Aghajanov.
“Armavia” was planning on increasing the number of flights starting from April, however, the reconstruction going on at “Zvartnots” airport is getting in the way and that’s why “Zvartnots” will only work the night shift from now on. According to Aghajanov, the airline company is forced to reschedule its plans for July.
This is not the only plan prolonged. Recently, there are commercials about “Armavia”’s new Yerevan-Tel-Aviv-Yerevan flight, which was foreseen for January. The flight has been temporarily cancelled and, according to Aghajanov, this is due to the decrease in the flow of passengers. This mainly has to do with the issue of visas. Israel doesn’t have an embassy in Armenia; that’s why passengers go to Georgia to get the visa. The airline company is trying to solve this issue along with the government. “Armavia” is planning on adding 2 new flights for the summer. Aghajanov assures that starting from July, there will be regular flights from Yerevan to Anapa and Donetsk. There won’t be any problem with visas here, however, it is worth mentioning that the aviation market in Armenia is competitive and that is why the companies don’t know what the future holds for each new flight.
Another problem concerns ticket prices. Recently, a passenger was complaining that he paid “Armavia” more than usual for getting a ticket to get back from Moscow. The company looks as this as the worker’s carelessness, which “throws the company’s reputation down.” The airline plans on adding two new “Airbus A-319” airplanes and one of them will be used either at the end of March or beginning of July.