Lousineh and Hayk Mouradyan are disgruntled Air Armenia customers.

They had tickets to fly an October 25 Air Armenia flight back to Krasnodar from Yerevan.

On the 23rd they got a call from Air Armenia saying their flight was leaving the very next day – the 24th.

“We still had things to do and people to meet on the 24th. We asked Air Armenia to book us on their next flight leaving the 27th,” Lousineh told Hetq. They were booked for the 27th.

The unlucky couple then received another telephone call from the airline on October 26, one day before they were scheduled to leave. Air Armenia informed them that the flight had been delayed till the 29th. When they asked why, the clerk refused to say.

Lousineh says that the airline offered to reimburse them for their tickets. She says this option was out of the question because purchasing a new set of tickets just before departing would be expensive.

The irate woman demanded that Air Armenia book them on another flight to Russia on October 27, explaining that her vacation was over and she had to return to work. She was again told that the best the company could do was reimburse her.

On October 27, the couple went to the Air Armenia office and demanded that they be booked on another airline leaving for Krasnodar that very day. Otherwise, Lousineh threatened to go to the press with their story.

Air Armenia reluctantly booked them on an Aeroflot flight.

The Mouradyans have since asked Air Armenia to compensate them for the delay and the ensuing costs. The company’s director told them to put their complaint in writing and that it would be reviewed when the company had some cash to spare.

The couple complied and listed all the expenses the delay caused them. They then left the complaint with the Air Armenia office staff.

When Lousineh asked the staff about company protocol for issuing compensation, she was told, “if and when everything adheres to the letter of the law”.

Staffers told the couple that the plane in question was undergoing a fleet wide maintenance check.

The Mouradyans were lucky. They made a fuss and were booked on another airline back to Russia.

If they hadn’t, they’d still be waiting in line at Yerevan’s Zvartnots Airport.

Not only was their original flight on the 24th postponed till the 27th, but that flight was again delayed till the 29th.

Hetq has now learnt that the Air Armenia flight scheduled to leave today for Krasnodar has been delayed yet again – this time for November 1. 

Those leaving for Krasnodar should take note. Air Armenia is still selling tickets for this jinxed flight.