Armenian International Airways

Not to be confused with Armenia Aircompany.

Armenian International Airways

IATA ICAO Call sign MV RML ARMENIA
Founded	2002, merged with Armavia in 2005
Hubs	Zvartnots Int'l Airport
Fleet size	1
Headquarters	Yerevan, Armenia
Website	http://www.armenianairways.com/

Armenian International Airways (Armenian: Հայկական Միջազգային Ավիաուղիներ, Haykakan Mijazgayin Aviaughiner; AIA) was a privately owned Armenian airline that operated from 2002 to 2005. Headquartered in Yerevan, its hub was at Zvartnots International Airport. The airline primarily served destinations in Western Europe and was established with the goal of restoring Armenia’s international air connections following the decline of Armenian Airlines.

History

Founding and Launch

Armenian International Airways was founded in 2002 by Armenian businessmen Gagik Tsarukyan, Versandik Hakobyan, Hrayr Hakobyan, and Levon Baghdasaryan. The airline received official aviation registration on 13 June 2002. Supported by technical assistance from Air Malta , AIA aimed to provide scheduled international flights to European destinations.

Operations began later in 2002, initially offering services from Yerevan to Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) and Frankfurt, Germany. These routes were previously operated by the now-defunct Armenian Airlines. Plans were also announced to expand services to other European capitals such as Amsterdam .

Business Model

AIA was structured as a privately funded commercial airline, backed by prominent Armenian oligarchs, notably Gagik Tsarukyan of the Multi Group conglomerate. Unlike its predecessor, Armenian Airlines, AIA operated under a model of private-sector efficiency. The airline offered scheduled passenger services with set ticket fares (e.g., approximately $560 for a Yerevan–Frankfurt round trip in 2002) and carried cargo alongside passenger services. The company planned to gradually expand its fleet with modern Western-built aircraft compliant with European noise and engine emission standards. However, AIA operated only a single aircraft throughout its existence.

Merger with Armavia

In early 2005, Armenian International Airways was merged into Armavia, a rival privately-owned airline that had become Armenia's new national carrier following the collapse of Armenian Airlines. The effective date of the merger was around 1 January 2005. AIA’s European operations and route authorities were absorbed by Armavia, and the AIA brand ceased flight operations. Although the merger was complete by 2005, the airline's sole aircraft continued to operate under lease until 2006.

Operations

Destinations

At its peak, Armenian International Airways operated scheduled flights from Yerevan to:

• Paris, France (Charles de Gaulle Airport)

• Frankfurt, Germany (Frankfurt Airport)

Additional destinations, including Amsterdam, were planned but never launched.

Flight schedules indicated twice-weekly service to Paris and weekly service to Frankfurt.

Fleet

The airline's sole Airbus A320 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (1 December 2002)

Throughout its existence, AIA operated a single aircraft:

Aircraft Information

Aircraft	Registration	Notes
Airbus A320-212	EK-32001	Leased from International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC); configured for 156 passengers.

The Airbus A320-212 (manufacturer serial number 397) was delivered to AIA in September 2002. The aircraft remained in AIA livery and was occasionally sub-leased to other operators, including Air Arabia, after the 2005 merger.

Incidents

2006 Brussels Hangar Fire

On 5 May 2006, AIA’s sole aircraft, EK-32001, was destroyed in a hangar fire at Brussels Airport while under maintenance by Sabena Technics. The fire consumed four aircraft in total, including another Airbus A320 operated by Armavia. No casualties were reported. The destruction of EK-32001 effectively ended any remaining operational presence of Armenian International Airways, which had no remaining fleet after the incident.