Armavia Airline Company, LLC

OST-2006-24610 - Exemption - Los Angeles-Yerevan, Armenia via Amsterdam

April 24, 2006

Application for an Exemption

Armavia, a licensed air carrier of the Republic of Armenia, requests an exemption from 49 U.S.C. § 41301 to authorize Armavia to engage in scheduled foreign air transportation of persons, property, and mail between Los Angeles, California, and Yerevan, Armenia; via the intermediate point, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Armavia also requests authority to operate charter flights between a point or points in the United States and a point or points in Armenia and to operate other charter operations in accordance with 14 C.F.R. Part 212. Armavia plans to operate its U.S. services pursuant to a wet lease from a qualified U.S. or foreign air carrier and is willing to accept a condition to that effect in its exemption.

Armavia's fleet consists of three Airbus A320s, one Airbus A319, one llyushin IL-86, one Yakovlev YAK-40, one Yakovlev YAK-42, and one Tupolev TU-1 34. The former USSR equipment operates only to destinations, mainly in Southern Russia, that are unable to accept the A320 or the A319.

Armavia plans to initiate operations in June or July 2006 with three weekly flights during the High (summer) Season and two flights per week during the Low (winter) Season on the Yerevan - Amsterdam - Los Angeles route. After the first twelve months, Armavia plans to operate three flights per week year round. Armavia plans to operate 130 flights during the first 12 months of its U.S.-Armenia flights and 156 flights during the second 12-month period.

Although Armavia does not forecast a specific number of charter flights between points in Armenia or third countries and points in the United States, Armavia seeks authority to operate Third and Fourth Freedom and - pursuant to Part 212- Fifth Freedom charter flights as commercial opportunities may arise.

Counsel: Roller & Bauer, Moffett Roller, 202-331-3300