In late April, one will be able to fly from Mogilev to Moscow, while Brest will connect regular flights with St. Petersburg. And that’s not all that Belavia, which today has the status of a national airline, is ready to offer passengers. Managed by the state, the company is literally national and popular. Founded in 1996, Belavia, together with its country, went through all the paths of formation and development. From year to year it became stronger and louder, declared itself with successes and achievements. And, like the country today, it fully felt the oppression of sanctions pressure. But, like the country, it did not give up, it sought and found new ways of development, new routes of flight. As a result, it has already achieved significant results on this trajectory, regained self-confidence and found new partners. The gaining of altitude continues.
More sea and sun
According to Igor Cherginets, Director General of the Airline, last year has been more successful for the air carrier than ever before.
— We increased the number of passengers carried, destinations, flights, flight hours per aircraft. Financial indicators have improved significantly — and this in the conditions of the pressure that is being exerted on our state, on the airline, on our entire aviation. Very positive results. The demand for air transportation in communication with the Russian Federation has expectedly increased. Flights to the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Egypt are in demand. In December Belavia started flying to China. This year we will present a number of new destinations, first of all, unexpected for our market of tourist services. There will be more sun and sea. But so far, the information is a secret.
The head also highlighted the brightest, memorable events, which were the pride not only for Belavia employees, but for all the residents of Belarus.
New directions
— In 2023, regular flights to Delhi, the capital of India, were opened, and in December 2024, the first passengers on board Belavia flew a regular flight to the Chinese city of Urumqi. The flight immediately showed its demand, — says Gleb Parkhamovich, First Deputy Director General of the Airline for Production Organization. — The destination is really promising, as Urumqi is located in one of the dynamically developing regions of the country, and its airport has a great transit potential. There are all prerequisites for further development of the Chinese direction.
Not a reserve airfield
One of the tasks of the national carrier is to provide regional airports with load, performing the flight program from there. Now Belavia makes regular flights from Gomel to Moscow and St. Petersburg, from Brest to Moscow. Charter programs will continue to be implemented from regional airports. In 2025, flights from regional airports will continue, there will be innovations in the flight program from Minsk National Airport.
— At the end of April we will launch regular flights to St. Petersburg and Moscow from Brest and Mogilev, — says Gleb Parkhamovich. — We do not stand still, we work in different directions and make every effort to meet the needs of passengers in air transportation.
Another main priority in the airline’s activity is flight safety. Work in this area is ensured at the highest level, in compliance with all international standards. For example, last year the airline’s employees completed a series of C-check of aircrafts — one of the most complex forms of maintenance, which is periodically performed on the entire fleet of aircrafts to monitor their condition.
Space Odyssey of Belavia
Probably few people know that the first Belarusian cosmonaut Marina Vasilevskaya, who worked in Belavia as a flight attendant for 7 years and still remains a part of the airline, was able to carry to the space ship... the airplane on which she flew. More precisely, its model.
Both the flight into space and the way Marina Vasilevskaya was escorted to Baikonur will remain in the history of the airline itself and in the hearts of its employees.
The air carrier’s team headed by Director General Igor Cherginets was at Baikonur next to Marina on the eve of the preparation and launch of the rocket. The airplane, which left Belarus for Baikonur with the delegation, relatives of the cosmonauts and Marina’s support group, received a livery (fuselage design) in space style for the occasion.
After returning to earth, Vasilevskaya presented the airline with things that had been in orbit: these are flags and envelopes with the airline’s logo, space dust, cosmonauts’ stamps. But the mini-copy of «Embraer» did not return to the Earth completely, its particle — one of the separated parts — remained to hover in the endless space expanses.
Corporate identity
In 2016, when the company rebranded and the aircrafts were decorated with our native flower — cornflower, it became clear that working for Belarus, its people, to please them and bring pleasure is not just a principle, but the main goal of the team. Take, for example, the livery of one of the airplanes branded in the colors of Dinamo hockey club. How many positive emotions, delight not only from the fans of the club and sports fans, but also from ordinary Belarusians caused this event! Now the crews of the Belarusian aircrafts have changed into the new uniform. The cabin crew representatives are satisfied: the uniform is very beautiful, stylish, high-quality and comfortable. While flight attendants and flight operators are pleasing the eyes of passengers with the winter version of uniforms. Summer is ahead, which means that flight attendants and stewards will try on new light uniforms. One thing remains unchanged — it will be the color of cornflower.
Elena Vinogradova
Photo by Viktor Ivanchikov
