SOCHI-YEREVAN FLIGHT DELAYED FOR A DAY AND A HALF ARRIVES AT ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT
2007-11-12 22:40:00
ArmInfo. Russian media report with reference to Transport Prosecutor of
Sochi, Senior Counselor of Justice Yuri Ryazantsev that the Transport
Prosecutor’s Office of Russia is carrying out a verification by
numerous complaints of passengers, who say that they were not provided
with water and food when the Sochi-Yerevan flight was delayed on
November 11.
A total of 100 passengers were to depart for Armenia at 10:30 am
Moscow time, November 11, but the flight was delayed for over a day
due to the bad weather conditions. Yelena Chernyshova, an airport
representative, explained that the passengers were not provided
with water and food as the airport administration was unable to get
through to the representatives of Armavia company. In this connection,
the Sochi airport administration received 32 complaints from the
passengers, and the Russian Transport Prosecutor’s Office is currently
considering them. According to Russian sources, neither the airport
administration, nor the prosecutor’s office, nor the passengers could
get through to the air company’s representative in Armenia over the
phone. The preliminary results of the verification may be published
on November 13.
Meanwhile, Press-secretary of the General Department of Civil Aviation
(GDCA) of Armenia Gayane Davtyan told ArmInfo correspondent that
the passengers arrived at Zvartnots airport at 3:30 pm Yerevan time,
November 12. The GDCA is studying the passengers’ complaints about
the violation of the law "On Aviation", as per which an air company
carrying out a flight should provide the passengers with food in
case of a 2-hour delay of the flight. If the delay lasts over 4
hours, the company should provide them with means of communication,
particularly, with telephone, and after an 8-hour delay the company
should give them sleeping accommodations. If the air company violates
the requirements of the law, it may be brought to responsibility
and even get deprived of the right to carry out air transportation
in Armenia. As ArmInfo correspondent was told by other sources,
Armavia’s representatives learned about the incident in Sochi only
after the signal of journalists. At the same time, in connection with
cold weather and bad meteorological conditions, the GDCA of Armenia
once again urges air companies to be more attentive to the passengers
if flights are delayed.