TWO WEEKS AFTER CRASH AND HANGAR FIRE, ARMAVIA TAKES SECOND A319, PLANS TO ADD REGIONAL AIRCRAFT
By David Kaminski-Morrow in London

Flight International
May 19 2006

Two weeks after separate accidents wiped out much of its fleet,
Armenian carrier Armavia has taken delivery of the second of two
Airbus A319s and stated that it intends to complement its fleet with
50- to 70-seat regional aircraft.

Yerevan-based Armavia has received the A319 which, like its
predecessor, was formerly operated by US carrier Independence Air. It
will bear the registration EK-32012. “Soon this aircraft will begin
operating scheduled services,” says the carrier.

It has also revealed that its fleet plan includes acquiring a regional
aircraft with 50-70 seats, but the carrier has not indicated a type –
although it says that the aircraft will be “American”.

Armavia fleet additions come two weeks after a fatal Black Sea crash
and a subsequent maintenance hangar fire at Brussels destroyed two
of its three Airbus A320 aircraft.

Introduction of the A319 brings its fleet up to six aircraft – two
A319s, its sole remaining A320, an Ilyushin Il-86, plus a Yakovlev
Yak-42 and Yak-40 – but the airline says that its policy is not to
use aircraft manufactured before 2000.