09:37, 8 August 2022
YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian national carrier Fly Arna is in the process of acquiring its second aircraft and seeks to expand its destinations.
“In June of this year our airline launched its first commercial flights in two directions – Yerevan-Hurgada and Yerevan-Sharm El-Sheikh. Since these two destinations are especially in demand during the summer season in Armenia, we were very excited to launch the flights to these resort towns,” Fly Arna spokesperson Gayane Antonyan said.
Fly Arna received its first flight permits from Egypt. “And we decided to enable our compatriots to discover the seaside Egyptian towns with our airline until our team is working on acquiring new destinations,” she said.
Asked why Fly Arna chose Hurgada and Sharm El-Sheikh – two destinations served by other airlines in Armenia – instead of launching new directions, Antonyan said: “As the new national carrier of Armenia, from the very beginning we had the goal of connecting Armenia with various countries and cities across the world and we are committed to this path. Hurgada and Sharm El-Sheikh are maiden flights. We will not be limited with these destinations and with clear steps we will connect Armenia with all other in-demand directions. Very soon the results of our team’s work will be visible.”
Getting the flight permit for other countries’ airspace is a time-consuming process, Antonyan says. “When Fly Arna was launched we announced about 4 upcoming destinations, and in addition to the Egyptian destinations the two others were Beirut and Kuwait. We are now negotiating with all stakeholder parties to swiftly acquire the flight permits for Beirut and Kuwait and finalize our preparations for flying in these directions.”
“Since 2020, all Armenian airlines are barred from entering the EU airspace due to being blacklisted by the EU aviation authorities. We, being a joint enterprise of ANIF and Air Arabia, are closely cooperating with the Armenian civil aviation committee and attempting to introduce its international experience in improving flight standards and aviation safety,” the spokesperson said.
Until the fleet is supplemented with the second aircraft, Fly Arna is now flying with its Airbus A320. It is a 174-seat plane. The distance between the seats is 81cm – which gives passengers comfort. “Other advantages include for example that our passengers have the chance to choose the food, luggage and seats options, thus balancing comfort and affordable prices,” Antonyan said.
Fly Arna offers free SkyTime streaming services for passengers. The streaming service will be expanded together with expanding destinations, by offering videos and information on Armenia’s history, sightseeing, etc.
Most of the menu is comprised of Armenian-made food and drinks. The pilots and crew also speak Armenian.
One of the frequently asked questions coming from passengers is the meaning of the name Fly Arna. Antonyan said Fly Arna is simply the abbreviation of “Armenian National Airlines”.
Fly Arna now employs 70 people but plans to expand the team. More than 80% are Armenians.
Both Armenian and foreign maintenance specialists work at Fly Arna.
Passengers have expressed satisfaction over the schedule, with most of the flights scheduled in the mornings. The airline also worked to cut the duration of its Hurgada flight.
“Motivated with the excitement and happiness of our passengers, we will work with even greater vigor to expand the geography of our flights and keep the quality of services high. We have no other option than to ensure the success of the national airline and kick off the beginning of a new era of Armenia’s aviation history.”
Anna Grigoryan
Photos by Hayk Manukyan