Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

Airlines suspending flights into Kurdistan, after warnings from Baghdad

By

Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines to halt flights to and from KRG as of Friday

EgyptAir to suspend flights to and from Erbil in north Iraq from Friday as per Iraqi government request

Turkish airline Pegasus announced on Wednesday it would immediately suspend flights into Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, after an independence referendum on Monday, according to local media reports.

Lebanese carrier MEA and Egypt’s flag carrier EgyptAir also announced they would suspend flights from Friday.

“For now, we’re stopping. The last flight is on the 29th, until they solve the issue,” MEA chairman Mohammad al-Hout told Reuters on Wednesday.

Two company sources from EgyptAir confirmed the decision.

The moves come after the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority sent a notice to foreign airline companies telling them that international flights to Erbil and Sulaimaniya will be suspended at 1500 GMT and that only domestic flights will be allowed.

The Iraqi government gave the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) three days to hand over control of its airports in order to avoid an international air embargo, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Tuesday evening, according to state TV.

Baghdad last week asked foreign countries to stop direct flights to the international airports of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) territory, but only Iran declared such an air embargo, halting direct flights to Kurdistan.

Turkey’s border remains open, for now, minister says

Turkey’s border with northern Iraq remains open, although that does not mean it will remain open, the Turkish customs minister said on Wednesday, adding the number of trucks passing through the border had decreased.

Bulent Tufenkci, who was speaking on live television, also said he did not believe that the developments in northern Iraq would have a big impact on Turkish trade.

President Tayyip Erdogan has said Iraqi Kurds would go hungry if his country halts the flow of trucks and oil across the border, warning that Turkey could take military and economic measures against its neighbour after the 25 September referendum on Kurdish independence.

Armenia, China look to launch direct flights

By

Armenia, chinaCivil aviation authorities of Armenia and China have initialed the agreement on direct air transportation between the two countries, the General Department of Civil Aviation affiliated with the government of Armenia reported in a release, adding along with the agreement, the two sides also signed a Memorandum of Cooperation between aviation departments of the two countries.

The documents were signed by the Head of the General Department of the Civil Aviation Sergey Avetisyan and the Deputy Head of Civil Aviation Administration of China Wang Zhiqing on a visit to Armenia.

According to the source, the agreement regulates the flight, aviation safety, mutual recognition of licenses and certificates and number of spheres, as well setting the principles for granting permission to air carriers of the two countries.

During the negotiations, the sides reached an agreement to provide mutual fifth freedom traffic right to their airlines in using respective aviation routes.

To remind, the Civil Air Transport Agreement Between the Republic of Armenia and People’s Republic of China of the year1997 expired and required renewal.

Armenia offers charter flights to some hot summer destinations

By

Armenia charter flightsThe General Department of Civil Aviation announced on Wednesday, June 28 that charter flights will connect the Armenian capital with a number of destinations worldwide this season.

Bulgaria Air will be carrying out Yerevan-Varna-Yerevan flights from July 5 to August 30.

Egypt’s AMC Airlines will take Armenians to Hurghada between July 17 and September 10, while the Hurghada-Yerevan-Sharm-el-Sheikh route will operate till September 17.

Aegean Airlines will start Rhodes-Yerevan-Rhodes flights from July 8 till August 29. Transportation to the Greek town of Araxos, meanwhile, will be implemented by Armenia Aircompany between July 21 and August 31.

Also, Armenia Aircompany will be flying to Venice between July 8 and September 9, and to Corfu between July 30 to August 29.

Yerevan resuming regular flights to Damascus

By

flights to Damascus Cham Wings Airlines is resuming direct flights from Yerevan to Damascus and back, Aleppo-based Kilikia travel agency reveals.

The first flights is scheduled for June 21, set to be implemented once a week on Wednesdays.

The tickets will cost some $150.

The first-ever flight from the Armenian capital to the Syrian one was carried out back in 2012.

Read also: Taron-Avia launching regular Gyumri-Moscow flights

Armenian and Iranian aviation officials negotiate flights from Tehran to Armenian Gyumri

By

YEREVAN, May 3. /ARKA/. An Armenian airline will be awarded the right to operate flights from Armenia’s second largest town of Gyumri in the northwestern province of Shirak to Tehran, the capital of Iran if talks with Iranian air officials accomplish successfully, the head of the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia Sergey Avetisyan told journalists on Wednesday.

“At the moment, the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia and some Iranian airlines are negotiating the possibility of launching flights from Tehran to Gyumri, which we believe will have a positive effect on the development of aviation and tourism,” Avetisyan said.

According to him, the Shirak airport in Gyumri has great potential, and the city of Gyumri has an opportunity for tourism development.

Source: http://arka.am/en/news/tourism/taron_avia_negotiates_flights_from_tehran_to_armenian_gyumri_/

Prospect of Direct Flights between Armenia and U.S. Assessed

By

Direct flightYEREVAN (Armenpress)—Direct flights between Armenia and the US should be based on economic and business factors, said Bridget Brink, U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs.

Asked to comment on the Open Sky policy of the Republic of Armenia and the perspectives of direct flight between Armenia and the US, Brink noted “I can say I would love to see that possibility. It’s going to be a commercial business decision. And I really applaud the reforms that have been done so far to do the Open Skies treaty and agreement. And that, I know, has opened up possibilities for more flights to and from Armenia.”

“So as Armenia’s economy grows, as the tourist business grows, if Armenia becomes this hub of the region — which would be fantastic — and if some of these things that are, right now, potential barriers including issues like corruption, judicial independence, finding a resolution to regional protracted conflicts – I think the sky is the limit. So we strongly support it in terms of having more options in Armenia. And we’ll do what we can as a government,” Brink said.

Regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Brink stated that “The U.S. supports the agreements on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict reached during Vienna and Saint Petersburg meetings and does everything for the comprehensive settlement of the conflict.”

“We are trying to be supportive both through co-Chairs and my Secretary of State and we strongly support moving forward the few agreements from the May meeting in Vienna and the June meeting in Saint Petersburg to move forward in both of those confidence building measures and also discussion on a comprehensive settlement,” noted the State Department official.

Brink also stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict hinders the ability for Armenia to fully take advantage of its geographic location.

“Resolution to that [NK conflict] has great potential to Armenia’s economic growth and strength. Because it could open up pathways, both geographic pathways and other connections which could help this whole region,” she said.

“We strongly support economic development, both in Armenia and also regionally. I mean, Armenia is very importantly located in a region that is a crossroads, from the East to the West. And developing that as a possible crossroads for goods, people, services, is very important,” said the State Department official.

BREAKING: Russia Will Suspend All Passenger Flights to Egypt Including Cairo

By

1029684943Russian President has agreed that all flights over Sinai Peninsula should be suspended during the A321 crash investigation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin agrees with Federal Security Service (FSB) Alexander Bortnikov’s recommendation to suspend passenger flights to Egypt while the investigation of the Sinai plane crash is underway, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday.
“The head of state agreed with these recommendations. Putin instructed the government to work out mechanisms for the implementation of these FSB recommendations, and to ensure the return of Russian citizens,” Peskov told reporters.
Kremlin also says that Putin gave instructions to establish cooperation with Egypt to ensure flight safety.
The Russian Airbus A321 passenger plane crashed in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on October 31 en route from Egypt’s resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh to St. Petersburg. All 224 people on board were killed. The crash is the biggest tragedy in the history of Russian and Soviet civil aviation.

Greece and Qatar airlines to launch flights to Armenia

By

Greece airYEREVAN. – Qatar Airways and Aegean Airlines (Greece) will begin flights to Armenia, Minister of Economy Karen Chshmarityan announced at a press conference on Friday.

In his words, successful negotiations are currently underway with these airline companies.

In addition, as per Chshmarityan, Czech Airlines, which had stopped working with Armenia due to technical reasons, will resume flights next year.

Chshmarityan added that negotiations are conducted also with Singapore Airlines and Qantas Airways (Australia).

To note, Armenia air transport already has been liberalized at interstate level with Russia, Austria, Iran, Spain, Turkmenistan, and Iraq. The liberalization is at the negotiation phase with Italy, Bulgaria, Israel, and Thailand. And these talks have already begun with Qatar, Kuwait, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, China, Singapore, and Cuba.