The Public Council wants “Armavia” to recover, but Baghdasarov does not want to return.
“Armavia’s” high level pilots and technicians are already leaving Armenia and seek for job in abroad because they have no hope of having work again in their own country and, moreover, receiving the debts of their salaries. In a conversation with “Aravot”, one of the pilots of “Armavia”, the 2nd pilot of “Ayrobus” A320 aircraft, pilot with 7 years of work experience Tigran Aslanyan said that the best specialists leave Armenia day by day, some of his colleagues have already left for Kazakhstan and Georgia to work. Yesterday, the pilots and technicians of the airline organized a protest near the office of “Armavia”, the reason for this action according to the participants of the action is the statement made by “Armavia” recently that as if the salary debts were repaid. Tigran Aslanyan told us that on June 7, they had gone to “Armavia” office to receive salaries, but it turned out that only a few stewards and 2 pilots received the salary for one month: “The company owes me from August last year. I got my last salary in December, that was the salary for July. There are pilots who still have not received their salaries since March.” The salary debts of “Armavia”, as the pilots informed, is about 500 million Armenian drams, and the company periodically promise the pilots that when “Armavia” is paid the debts of other companies, the salaries will be repaid from that amount. The Government, in its turn, gives hope to the pilots that 3 airlines will be opened in Armenia, wait a little more and you have job, and before the airlines are opened, the pilots simply do not have resources to take care of their families needs. “Opening airlines is not work for 1 or 2 days to wait, it will take a few months. I do not want to abandon my family and house to go and work in abroad, but before opening the airlines, let them at least provide the salary for a few months to be able to live and to keep our families. In addition, even if the airlines are opened, where is the guarantee that the Armenian pilots will work.”,- said Tigran Aslanyan to “Aravot”. In a conversation with us, “Armavia” assured that the debt salaries will be definitely repaid, when some companies will pay what they owe to the airline. “Armavia” company owes also to “Aviaservice” Company, which belongs to “Multi Group” Company and who is engaged in supplying food for air passangers. But, yesterday, the management of this company officially announced that they have no debts to “Armavia”. In this respect, “Armavia” assured “Aravot” that it is possible that the Aviaservice has already transferred the money, – “But since the working day ended, at this point we can not clearly say whether the transfer was done, or not”. Today the airline will make an additional statement about it. And whether there is actually a hope that “Armavia” will recover after the bankruptcy announcement, and will continue to operate, so far the opinions vary. However, the Public Council tries in every way to save “Armavia” with the help of recovery project, several discussions have taken place, after which the project is submitted to appropriate government bodies. Recently, the Head of Civil Aviation assured that the project is not realistic, but the president of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan, in a conversation with Aravot told that a lot depends on “Armavia” itself. Mr. Manukyan presented that there is a certain scheme in the recovery project, and the airline alone should decide whether it will accommodate in the scheme. “I think that there is still much to discuss, professional discussion is needed. The Government had already made a decision on Civil Aviation, there should be another decision to be made in the nearest future, let’s see what will happen. Now “Armavia” is in a difficult situation, but it has a lot of experience in
this area, it has a brand, I think we should help it.” It is interesting that Vazgen Manukyan has heartily approach to the problem of “Armavia” and is trying to help the company, but the owner of Armavia Mikayel Baghdasarov yet on May 29 announced that his return to this sphere is excluded. “Nothing is excluded in this life, my return is excluded, but “Armavia” may come back. I would not want to get involved in aviation anymore; it is a ungrateful task, even if the conditions are changed. I think they will get along without me, and I will find more quiet business.
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Nelly BABAYAN
“Aravot” Daily
