Airline Georgian Airways. Georgian Airways: flights, aircraft, reviews Georgia Airlines
The airline "Georgian Airlines" was established in 1993. Another name is Airzena. Initially it operated charter flights to the UAE, China, Italy, Egypt, Syria and India. Regular flights began in 1997 and operated to Vienna (Austria). At that time, Ilyushin’s 62M aircraft were in operation.
In 1999, the airline acquired the status of the national carrier of Georgia. In August, 5 years later, Airzena was renamed Georgian Airlines and most often used Tu-134 aircraft. But the previous name remained as a short logo on airplanes. The name change was due to the fact that the previous one was in no way compatible with Georgia, and therefore was difficult to recognize for passengers from Western countries.
At the beginning of 2000, the airline's management decided that it was necessary to begin modernizing the air fleet and additionally rent 2 Boeing 737-500 aircraft from the German airline Hapag-Lioyd. It was she who became the first Georgian airline to have modern aviation equipment at its disposal. In 2002, the Russian Federation banned all Georgian airlines from traveling through the airspace at night. Because of this, Georgian Airlines suffered heavy damage. And in the period from October to November of the following year, its representative office refused to be present at the Russian Vnukovo airport.
The main activity is transportation of goods and passengers. The main base is located in Tbilisi (Tbilisi International Airport). General Director – Iase Zautashvili. Georgian Airways received IATA membership in 2010. For this purpose, an IOSA security audit was previously conducted and their confirmation was received. Also this year, a new flight appeared - Tbilisi-Moscow-Tbilisi.
Today, Georgian Airlines is a completely private airline that has a modern fleet of Boeing 737 and CRJ, namely:
- BOEING 737-500 – 1 aircraft;
- BOEING 737-700 NG – 1 aircraft;
- CRJ 100 – 1 aircraft;
- CRJ 200 – 3 aircraft.
As of mid-2015, the airline operates flights on the following routes: to Asia - Tel Aviv (Israel), Yerevan (Armenia), Batumi and Tbilisi (Georgia); to Europe - Vienna (Austria), Belarus, Paris (France), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Moscow, Samara, Vladikavkaz, St. Petersburg (Russia), Odessa (Ukraine).
In April 2011, the airline's Bombardier CRJ100 crashed into the ground on a scheduled flight to Congo. 4 crew members and 29 passengers were killed.
Basic data of Georgian Airways
Airline country - Georgia
International airlines from Georgia, the previous name of the airline is Airzena
Year of appearance: 1994
IATA airline code: A9
ICAO airline code: TGZ
Airline internal code: ЖГ
Georgian Airways. Official website: www.airzena.com
Contact details:
Airline landline phone: +99532252668
Airline mailing address: Georgia, 0160 Tbilisi, Shartava St. 40,
Airline fax: +99532940782
Airline email address: [email protected]
Postal address of the Russian representative office: st. Plyushchikha, 58, Moscow, Russia
Phone of the Russian representative office: +74959268664
Georgian Airlines makes full use of electronic technologies, which help reduce administration costs and also save time on purchasing a ticket.
Ticket booking
You can book a ticket on the airline's website. After registering in your personal account, save your data to use it for booking and quickly purchasing tickets. Choose the tariff that suits you from the four offered:
- LIGHT is the most affordable fare for passengers, which does not provide for exchange or refund.
- STANDARD - low fare for passengers, but provides the ability to make changes to departure dates. This option is available for an additional fee, usually 50 euros per ticket.
- FLEXIBLE - economy class fare, where returns and changes are also possible for an additional fee. Usually it is 50 euros per air ticket.
- BUSINESS is a business class fare that offers special meals, increased seat comfort, and the fare is fully refundable and has an exchange option without any additional charges.
When purchasing a ticket, you pay only for those options that you need. Payment is made by bank card Visa, MasterCard, Mir. To obtain information on your order, you must click on “Itinerary-receipt” and by specifying one or more e-mail addresses, you will instantly receive all its data.
You can conveniently book flights from your smartphones and tablets. The passenger is issued an electronic passenger ticket and a baggage receipt (itinerary receipt), which are securely stored in a special Georgian Airways database in electronic form.
If you did not provide an email address when purchasing a ticket, you can call the number: +995322485511 or send an email to: [email protected], and sales specialists will send the air ticket to your email address. A ticket can be purchased or booked anywhere in the world as long as you have access to the Internet.
When issuing a ticket, the passenger must carefully enter personal data. If they do not match the data in the international passport, the passenger may not be allowed to board the plane. Before paying for a reservation using a bank card, it is checked in advance whether there are sufficient funds on it.
check-in
To make your trip as comfortable as possible, the Company offers a wide range of check-in options for your flight. Passengers who have purchased a Georgian Airways ticket can choose the most suitable one from three check-in options:
- online registration – the service has appeared recently and can be completed on the Company’s website. In addition to a personal computer, each passenger can register using a mobile application. Online check-in is available for all destinations and opens 24 hours and closes 2 hours before departure. You must print out your boarding pass and take it with you to the airport.
- self-check-in - carried out at special kiosks at the airport;
- at the counter at the airport. To do this, it is recommended to be at the airport 3 hours before the flight departure.
At the airport, be sure to take international passports, identifying passengers, and, if necessary, the child’s birth certificate. It is also recommended to have an itinerary receipt with you, as it contains all the information about the flight.
The start and end times of check-in for Georgian Airlines flights at the airport depend on the specific flight. Please check the exact time when booking your ticket or by calling the hotline. On all flights, check-in is completed automatically 40 minutes before departure of the airline's aircraft.
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The history of today's flagship airline of Georgia began back in 1993. The modern and safe carrier is a completely private company and consists of eight aircraft, one of which serves the country's government.
Story
The beginning of the 90s of the last century became the starting point of the Airzena airline. The first flights were charter flights and operated to China, India, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. There is only one regular one - to Vienna. Despite the political and economic strife of this period, thanks to the right strategy, the company survived and even won some recognition. By the beginning of the 2000s, Airzena was already a national carrier.
Around the same time, the company's management was modernizing its fleet, and for this purpose it rented two liners from the German company Hapag-Lloyd.
In 2004, it was decided to rename Airzena to Georgian Airways. But the old name of the airline is still in use; it is an unofficial trademark.
Our days
Today, the private airline Georgian Airlines has modern aircraft - BOEING 737 and CRJ aircraft. The main base is Tbilisi International Airport. The company's main activity is reliable and safe transportation of passengers and cargo. Our priority is quality customer service and safety. This axiom of Georgian Airlines is confirmed by its membership in the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The entry was preceded by an audit that was supposed to check the compliance of the airline's technical base with IOSA safety standards. Since then, there have been three such certifications, all successfully completed.
Aircraft fleet
The Georgian Airways fleet consists of medium-haul airliners CRJ, EMBRAER and BOEING 737. Among them:
- BOEING 737-500, the capacity of which is 116 people (12 seats are allocated for business class).
- BOEING - 737-700 NG, carries 132 passengers (12 seats are reserved for business class).
- EMBRAER 190, capacity 97 people (business class - 9 seats)
- CRJ 100, designed for 50 passengers (6 business class seats).
- CRJ 200, the number of seats is identical to the previous liner.
Flight personnel
This is the pride of the company. Each flight participant, be it a pilot or a flight attendant, is highly qualified and has solid experience. Pilots undergo theoretical and practical training, and every six months they train on special flight simulators that simulate Boeing and CRJ airliners, for which they travel to the training centers UAB Cam&Cons (Lithuania), ICARE Training Center (France) and Pan American Flight Academy (USA) ).
Georgian Airlines pilots have category two and three certificates, which allows them to land the plane in adverse weather conditions.
Flight attendants are selected through a series of rigorous tests, in accordance with international standards and internal company requirements. Stewards are trained at the Georgian Aviation University with subsequent professional training in specialized centers in Germany and the Czech Republic. Among the disciplines studied are “Emergency Procedures and Evacuation”, “Flight Safety”, “Passenger Services”, “First Medical Aid” and “Aircraft Accident Prevention”.
The average age of the crews is 35-45 years.
Georgian Airlines flights
Today the air carrier operates in the following directions: Georgia - Tbilisi, Kutaisi and Batumi. Flights are also made to the capitals of Russia, Israel, France, the Netherlands and Austria. There are regular flights to these cities.
But the company has code-share agreements with 16 leading airlines, which makes it possible to make the movement of passengers almost all over the world as accessible as possible.
Facilities and service
Airzena aircraft cabins are divided into two classes - economy and business. The latter gives pleasure from the individual service provided and comfort during the flight (even DVD players with headphones are provided). Each passenger is guaranteed privacy, a varied menu and personal space. If there is no opportunity to take a break from business on board, the stewards will create all the conditions for work.
Before takeoff, business class guests are treated to a “welcome” fruit juice or mineral water. The menu reflects the national flavor: freshly prepared vegetable salads, a cheese plate (only Georgian varieties), juicy khachapuri, homemade pastries, Georgian bread and aged wines. All this, judging by the reviews of Georgian Airlines, is amazingly fresh and tasty.
If necessary, flight attendants offer pillows and cozy blankets.
Economy class on Georgian Airlines planes pleases passengers with comfortable seating and increased legroom. The menu varies depending on the length of the flight. But it definitely offers hot and cold dishes, drinks (tea, coffee and water), as well as desserts.
Privileges
The carrier has provided discounts for children. Something like this:
- A passenger up to two years of age inclusive travels at a cost of 10% of the basic fare; a second child of the same age flies on a child ticket;
- Travelers from two to twelve years old inclusive fly with a discount from 25 to 50% (it depends on the class of the selected seat).
Unaccompanied Minors
This is a service to accompany minor passengers. The fare for the flight for them is not set for children, but standard. But the service itself is free for children from 5 to 11 years old, and 30 euros for passengers from 12 to 16 years old.
Special conditions
Pregnant women can use the services of a carrier exclusively until 32 weeks of pregnancy, and this is subject to a positive conclusion from the attending physician.
Pets are allowed in the cabin if they are no more than 4 months old (or their weight does not exceed 6 kg). There are also certain dimensional standards for cages and animal carriers (no more than 55*35*20 cm). All pets that do not meet these conditions fly in the hold. But in any case, Georgian Airlines charges a certain fee for their flight. The only exceptions are guide dogs (the owner must have an accompanying document).
Passengers who require a wheelchair due to illness have the right to carry it on board free of charge.
Today the company offers its customers four new tariffs: FLEXIBLE, STANDARD, LIGHT and BUSINESS. Each has a certain set of services. For the convenience of using this option, a comparative table has been published on the official website of Air Georgia.
A “Personal Account” also appeared. Registration in it makes it possible to save data about each passenger, which allows you to significantly reduce the time for booking or purchasing an air ticket. All order details are available online here and can therefore be changed or deleted.
The interface of the “Personal Account” tab is multilingual. Georgian, Russian and English languages are available. Moreover, the choice made is saved.
Today you can pay for a flight with Georgian Airlines in Russian rubles or euros. The Georgian lari will soon appear on this list. Refunds are also available.
A convenient mobile application has also been developed.
Baggage
Like any carrier, Airzena has certain standards for free baggage allowance. It depends on the chosen flight class and its duration. But on average this is one piece weighing no more than 5 kg.
Economy class tourists are allowed to carry hand luggage weighing no more than 8 kg (one piece with the sum of three dimensions - 115 cm). Business class passengers are entitled to 12 kg hand luggage.
The cargo compartment of the aircraft provides space for passenger luggage:
- Economy class - no more than 23 kg (158 cm). For long-distance flights (Kyiv, St. Petersburg and Moscow) - no more than 25 kg.
- Business class - no more than 23 kg (the sum of three dimensions - 158 cm)
- Children (up to two years old) - 10 kg (no more than 155 cm). Passengers from 2-12 years old have the same baggage allowance as adults.
One baby stroller is transported free of charge.
The weight of hand luggage cannot be combined with checked luggage.
Baggage above a certain limit is paid additionally. For example, up to 32 kg on a flight to Europe - 50 EUR, to Israel, Russia, Ukraine - 35 EUR/40 USD, to Batumi or Yerevan - 25 euros.
Flight for a cat or dog in the cabin will cost 50 EUR/55 USD. Transporting an animal up to 32 kg in the luggage compartment costs 120 EUR/120 USD.
Ski equipment in the direction of Vienna, Kyiv, St. Petersburg, Moscow is transported free of charge. A set (special clothing, helmet, goggles, a pair of skis, poles or snowboard, etc.) with a total weight not exceeding 23 kg per tourist is in addition to the free baggage allowance.
Finally
The company has been constantly developing since its first days. Therefore, no one is surprised by various innovations. One of them, which is quickly gaining popularity, is E-ticket. This is a so-called electronic ticket, that is, a paperless form of a regular travel document. This service has many advantages, but I would especially like to highlight the following:
- You won't be able to forget your e-ticket.
- You can purchase it in any city on the planet (and not just at the place of departure).
- Friends or relatives of the future passenger can make the purchase.
And, most importantly, E-ticket is a significant time saver.
Georgian Airways began its history back in 1993 under the name Airzena. At that time, its main purpose was to carry out charter transfers to different countries.
Since 1999, it began to position itself in the market as the national airline of Georgia, and in 2004 changed its name to Georgian Airways.
Currently, Georgian Airways operates international passenger and cargo flights from Georgia.
The air fleet consists of 8 aircraft of the following brands: Bombardier CRJ-100 and CRJ-200 and Boeing 737 (737-500 and 737-700). This is the first Georgian company to start using Western-style aircraft.
Passenger service
Georgian Airways offers its passengers two classes of service to choose from:
- Economy class;
- Business Class.
In economy class, passengers can look forward to a varied menu. These include hot and cold dishes, as well as desserts to choose from. The range of drinks consists of coffee, tea and water. Each passenger can use a blanket if they wish.
Business class provides an improved range of drinks, including alcoholic ones. In addition, passengers have more free space, comfortable tables, blankets, pillows, drinks, as well as DVD players with headphones for a comfortable flight.
Baggage rules
In the cabin of Georgian Airways aircraft, each passenger has the opportunity to carry free hand luggage, the weight of which is 5 kg and takes up one piece.
For passengers with limited mobility, a wheelchair can be carried on board free of charge.
The following baggage standards are provided in the luggage compartment:
- Economy class passengers can carry baggage weighing 20 kg free of charge;
- For business class, the baggage allowance is 30 kg.
The airline also allows pets. Passengers can carry an animal weighing no more than 6 kg in the cabin. The cage should be within 55 x 35 x 20 cm.
Animals weighing more than 6 kg are carried in the luggage compartment.
Loyalty programs
On board Georgian Airways aircraft the following benefits are provided for children:
- Children under 2 years old can travel with their parents without a special seat at a 90% discount on the standard fare. The second child under 2 years old flies at a child fare;
- children from 2 to 12 years old can fly with a discount of 25%, 33% or 50%. It all depends on the type of passenger transportation.
On Georgian Airways flights you can carry free luggage and hand luggage. Animals are also allowed to be transported, subject to certain rules.
What are the airline's free baggage allowance rules?
The sum of the three dimensions of free baggage must not exceed 158 cm (for children under two years old - 115 cm). Depending on weight, you can carry free of charge:
- in business class – up to 30 kg;
- in economy class – up to 20 kg.
What are the carry-on baggage allowances?
You can take 1 bag weighing up to 8 kg into the salon; the sum of its three dimensions should not exceed 115 cm (55 x 40 x 20 cm).
In addition to hand luggage, a passenger can carry the following items free of charge:
- umbrella;
- cane;
- bouquet of flowers;
- printed materials for in-flight reading;
- handbag/men's briefcase;
- laptop computer, camera, video camera;
- food for the baby during the flight;
- cell phone;
- crutches;
- a bag with purchases from the Duty Free store.
What are the rules for transporting pets with Georgian Airways?
On Georgian Airways flights you can carry pets, cats and dogs, both in the passenger cabin and in the luggage compartment of the aircraft. The rules stipulate that:
- puppies and kittens must be over 4 months of age;
- animals must be healthy;
- pets must be placed in special cages throughout the flight (with the exception of guide dogs).
The weight of the animal and the cage in the passenger cabin must not exceed 6 kg, and the dimensions of the cage are 55 x 35 x 20 cm. Animals weighing over 6 kg are accepted for transportation in the luggage compartment of the aircraft.
The cell should be:
- made of hard plastic with a metal door;
- clean, ventilated on three sides;
- spacious enough for the animal to fit freely;
- The floor of the cage should be covered with moisture-absorbing material.
Transportation of animals is not included in the free baggage allowance. Payment is made based on the actual weight of the pet (at the rate for excess baggage).