Georgian Airways Bans President Over Russia Comments

Georgian Airways Bans President Over Russia Comments

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As noted by PYOK, it’s not every day you see an airline ban a country’s president from flying with it…

Georgian Airways controversially resuming flights to Russia

Georgian Airways (based in Tbilisi, not Atlanta) has just resumed flights to Russia. The airline discontinued flights to Russia as of July 2019. This has nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine — this happened after anti-Russian protests occurred in Georgia in 2019, causing Putin to ban flights to and from the country.

For the past four years, service between Tbilisi and Moscow has operated via Yerevan by Aircompany Armenia aircraft. That has finally changed. The Georgian flight ban has been revoked by Putin as of May 2023, so Georgian Airways is resuming flights between Tbilisi and Moscow.

As you might expect, not everyone is in favor of these flight resumptions, especially symbolically. Many people would prefer that Georgia distance itself from Russia and instead have better relations with the west, in hopes of the country maybe joining the European Union one day.

Among those opposed to this flight resumption is Georgia’s president, Salome Zourabichvili. Zourabichvili urged Georgian Airways to not resume flights to Russia, a request that the airline ignored. This has caused Zourabichvili to say that she will boycott the airline.

Georgian Airways bans Georgia’s president over comments

If Georgia’s president doesn’t want to fly with Georgian Airways, then the airline doesn’t want her to fly with the airline either. The founder of Georgian Airways, Tamaz Gaiashvili, has said that the country’s president is now a persona non grata on Georgian Airways, and will be banned until she “apologizes before the Georgian people.”

Separately, Georgian Airways published a post on its Facebook page, which it claims is from the employees of Georgian Airways. In the post, the airline says to “keep your dirty hands off Georgian Airways.” The airline states that people have been calling airline employees unpatriotic and traitors, and that’s not fair.

The company emphasizes that it’s not a political organization, and is simply providing service where there’s demand. The airline claims to have no agenda other than serving the Georgian people, flying them where they want to go.

Georgian Airways states that it’s “dishonesty, barbarity, and injustice to call people who have received state awards for their participation and dedication in war operations traitors.” The company also warns that you shouldn’t even “think of any provocation against the airline, otherwise you will get the harshest response provided by law.”

Bottom line

Georgian Airways is resuming nonstop flights to Russia, after the service was suspended four years ago. This comes after Putin lifted the ban on the airline flying to Russia. Georgian Airways has immediately resumed flights to Russia, presumably to meet the demand there is for this service. Not everyone is happy about this, including Georgia’s president, who urged the airline not to do this.

The airline isn’t happy with the president’s criticism, so is responding to her request for a boycott with a flight ban.

What do you make of this Georgian Airways situation?

Conversations (26)
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  1. N1120A Guest

    Dissident Russians have found Georgia one of their safest havens. Giving them an escape route doesn't seem so bad, though there are issues with money streaming in and pricing Georgians out of their own cities.

  2. Samo Guest

    - I'm not gonna fly with you
    - Well, in that case we'll ban you from flying with us. (Pause....) We're not looking like utter morons, are we?

  3. Daniel Guest

    As others have written Georgia and especially Armenia is in a difficult situation, if they should defy Russia, there is no chance for them to resist, Russia has stolen land from Georgia recently and could easily do so again.

    Russia does not even need to threat Armenia,it can just remove it's forces and Azerbaijan will invade and take more territory.

  4. Chris Guest

    This stinks of reality being distorted by economic interests, such as Russian ones. Sad when airline executives are out of touch with their own country to the extent they ignore an immoral invasion of a free country.

  5. Christian Guest

    Sheesh, it's like Ron DeSantis is running the airline.

  6. Ross Guest

    Ben, would you please maintain your usual decent protocol and good manners by addressing a head of state properly, i.e. Fuehrer Putin?

    1. Jerry Diamond

      We heard it the first time when the other bot said it.

  7. Aquitania Guest

    Ben, would you please maintain your usual decent protocol and good manners by addressing a head of state properly, i.e. President Putin? This has nothing to do with your political views, just a diplomatic courtesy.

    1. James Guest

      Seriously? You took time out of you day to write this?

    2. VitaliU Gold

      That sukin syn has blood of hundreds of thousand of people on his hands and you are worried about his titles?

    3. Common Sense Guest

      Beat it troll. You’re on the wrong side of history. Putin and Hitler are synonymous.

    4. kmartin696 Gold

      A barbaric monster like Comrade Putin deserves zero diplomatic courtesy because he is anything but a diplomat. He is a blood-thirsty egomaniacal murderer, pure and simple, and shame on you for defending such a piece of garbage.

    5. jkjkjk Guest

      lol triggered. Why don't you look at some of declassified CIA documents from the 60s and 70s showing US complicity of genocide.
      US admitted at committing genocide and you were fine with it. NO one was held responsible no one went to prison. Read the Jakarta Method.

    6. N1120A Guest

      The Vladimir Pozner game isn't gonna play here.

      The US doing bad things doesn't excuse Russia doing the same

  8. Icarus Guest

    The Georgian government could simply ban flights to and from Russia.

  9. Tim Guest

    I live in Tbilisi and the flight resumptions have indeed been quite the contentious decision with multiple days of protests at the airport and in front of Parliament. Georgia's relationship with Russia is fairly complex and unfortunately there's still a significant amount of government corruption which benefits from maintaining kind relations with Moscow despite the Georgian populace being overwhelmingly pro-EU and a constitution which mandates EU ascension.

  10. Jance Guest

    Well the Russian trolls will be along any minute to spew their lies, so let's get in some actual context before Putin's knuckle-dragging fascists show up....

    This...

    Many people would prefer that Georgia distance itself from Russia and instead have better relations with the west, in hopes of the country maybe joining the European Union one day.

    ...deserves um, a bit more background.

    One of the former Soviet Republics which gained its independence upon the...

    Well the Russian trolls will be along any minute to spew their lies, so let's get in some actual context before Putin's knuckle-dragging fascists show up....

    This...

    Many people would prefer that Georgia distance itself from Russia and instead have better relations with the west, in hopes of the country maybe joining the European Union one day.

    ...deserves um, a bit more background.

    One of the former Soviet Republics which gained its independence upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia had suffered a long time under the Russians. Like other long-suffering former Soviet nations (Ukraine, Poland, the Baltics, the list goes on...) they've been working to build better lives, all while Russia seeks to re-conquer them. Most Georgians want nothing to do with Russia (they're not idiots, they can see how their future would look with or without Russian overlords -- see Estonia, Ukraine, et all). They want to join the EU, have applied for EU membership, and that's in progress (that's a long process - ask any Ukrainian). Unfortunately, Georgia's government is divided, with many striving to join the EU, and some others staunchly pro-Russian. There have been many demonstrations and other grass-roots political pressures pushing the government to continue, and accelerate, their steps to join the EU; the EU leadership is watching carefully. Of course, this enrages Putin and his trolls. Thankfully, Putin is currently too busy getting his ass kicked in Ukraine to do much about Georgia (otherwise the tanks would have rolled), but that doesn't stop his boot-licking minions from trying their best to suck up the the dictator and stand in the way of Georgia's path towards a better life.

    This is just one more example of Putin's dreams of restoring the former USSR empire slipping away. Lets hope Georgia gets their way and continues their integration to the EU. Putin's going to have an accident sooner or later. Not soon enough.

    1. Eskimo Guest

      They want to join EU, but have you asked if EU wanted them to join?

      Same thing Ukraine is trying to convince their people, they can join EU to get elected.

      If EU or US really wanted to piss Putin, Ukraine would be in EU and NATO by now. We're supplying weapons just enough to not let the war tip to one side. Someone is trying to get Ukraine war torn as long as possible. It's a win-win for governments and lose for the people.

    2. Eve Guest

      Eskimo, you are just getting dumber day by day

      You do know that ascension to EU is a Multi year process that requires the candidate country to completely change laws, political system, economical policies, improve infrastructure and a whole lot of other things? This doesn’t happen in one day! There is also a long negotiation regarding everything above that takes many years. The average time for this process takes around 10 years!

      Also how will...

      Eskimo, you are just getting dumber day by day

      You do know that ascension to EU is a Multi year process that requires the candidate country to completely change laws, political system, economical policies, improve infrastructure and a whole lot of other things? This doesn’t happen in one day! There is also a long negotiation regarding everything above that takes many years. The average time for this process takes around 10 years!

      Also how will Ukraine join NATO right now? If they did, the entire bloc will have to declare war with Russia due to Article 5!!

    3. seamallowance New Member

      Who’s “we”, white eyes?

    4. Syd Guest

      I'm about 99.9% sure you would salute if UA or DL or AA banned Trump?

    5. ConcordeBoy Diamond

      I'm about 99.9% sure you would salute if UA or DL or AA banned Trump?

      Not if he didn't do something that violates their CoC, in order to get banned. Sure Trump's a piece of crap, but not all of us are as ideologically-driven as you.

    6. Timothy Guest

      In fact, the Soviet Union annexed parts of Poland.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territories_of_Poland_annexed_by_the_Soviet_Union

    7. Indopithecus Guest

      As soon as you say 'Russian trolls' you show your bias and your words are pointless. We have had enough NATO brainwashing, thank you.

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Jance Guest

Well the Russian trolls will be along any minute to spew their lies, so let's get in some actual context before Putin's knuckle-dragging fascists show up.... This... <i>Many people would prefer that Georgia distance itself from Russia and instead have better relations with the west, in hopes of the country maybe joining the European Union one day.</i> ...deserves um, a bit more background. One of the former Soviet Republics which gained its independence upon the collapse of the Soviet Union, Georgia had suffered a long time under the Russians. Like other long-suffering former Soviet nations (Ukraine, Poland, the Baltics, the list goes on...) they've been working to build better lives, all while Russia seeks to re-conquer them. Most Georgians want nothing to do with Russia (they're not idiots, they can see how their future would look with or without Russian overlords -- see Estonia, Ukraine, et all). They want to join the EU, have applied for EU membership, and that's in progress (that's a long process - ask any Ukrainian). Unfortunately, Georgia's government is divided, with many striving to join the EU, and some others staunchly pro-Russian. There have been many demonstrations and other grass-roots political pressures pushing the government to continue, and accelerate, their steps to join the EU; the EU leadership is watching carefully. Of course, this enrages Putin and his trolls. Thankfully, Putin is currently too busy getting his ass kicked in Ukraine to do much about Georgia (otherwise the tanks would have rolled), but that doesn't stop his boot-licking minions from trying their best to suck up the the dictator and stand in the way of Georgia's path towards a better life. This is just one more example of Putin's dreams of restoring the former USSR empire slipping away. Lets hope Georgia gets their way and continues their integration to the EU. Putin's going to have an accident sooner or later. Not soon enough.

8
Ross Guest

Ben, would you please maintain your usual decent protocol and good manners by addressing a head of state properly, i.e. Fuehrer Putin?

7
VitaliU Gold

That sukin syn has blood of hundreds of thousand of people on his hands and you are worried about his titles?

6
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