Move over, all other airlines! I’ve just found the single aircraft I’m most interested in flying… thanks to reader Chris for bringing this to my attention.
In this post:
Georgian Airways’ intriguing Boeing 767-300
I was familiar with Georgian Airways, the small flag carrier of the country of Georgia. The airline has a fleet of just five aircraft, and each is unique. There’s a Boeing 737-700, a Boeing 737-800, a Boeing 767-300, a Bombardier CRJ200, and a Bombardier Challenger 850 (a private jet used by the government).
The fact that Georgian Airways now operates a Boeing 767 comes as news to me, as I didn’t realize the airline flew wide body aircraft. But this is where it gets super interesting. When you look at Georgian Airways’ fleet page, you’ll see the plane is described as having 245 seats, including 227 economy seats, 16 business class seats, and… wait for it… two first class seats. Let me say that one more time — this plane apparently has TWO FIRST CLASS SEATS. In terms of exclusivity, Air France’s La Premiere has nothing on this!
I figured this was a misunderstanding, or something, but in the June 2024 announcement from the airline about the acquisition of this aircraft (okay, don’t ask me how the plane went from having 245 seats to having 250 seats, but either way, the two first class seat reference is consistent):
“The 250-seat aircraft has a first-class cabin. All seats, both first and business class, as well as economy class seats are equipped with individual control and multimedia systems.”
Also, can we all agree that the carrier’s livery kind of looks like it was made in Microsoft Paint? That doesn’t look real, right?
What’s going on with Georgian Airways’ Boeing 767?
What’s the story of Georgian Airways’ Boeing 767, and the mysterious first class? I did a bit of digging. We know the aircraft has the registration code 4L-GTR, so I pulled that up on Airfleets, and the 23-year-old jet has quite the history:
- In 2002, the aircraft started flying for Japan’s Skymark Airlines
- In 2008, the jet was transfered to Russia’s Rossiya
- In 2016, the jet was transfered to Omni Air International, a charter airline with a fleet of used 767s and 777s
Omni Air has several different configurations, since the airline acquires jets secondhand, and sometimes maintains the cabins of the previous owner. I think I figured out what’s going on here. One of the configurations references 16 business class seats and 227 economy seats, which matches up with what you’d expect, except for the two first class seats.
Well, when the plane flew for Omni Air, there were two seats behind business class that were used for crew rest. Is this what Georgian Airways is calling first class, maybe? For example, the seats are marked on seatmaps.com, and seem to offer lots of privacy.
An OMAAT reader also points to the below video from media in Georgia, which shows the interior of the aircraft.
I so badly need to fly this plane! The thing is, I can’t actually figure out how to book first class, and if that’s really a thing the airline sells. Can this actually be booked? Is there a dedicated soft product? What champagne do they serve? 😉
Regardless, I’ve been wanting to visit Georgia, and on top of that, this looks way better than what you’d otherwise get on most flights within Europe (this plane flies to destinations like Amsterdam, Milan, and Nice). So this 767 looks like the Emirates equivalent for Georgia.
Bottom line
Georgian Airways acquired a Boeing 767 several months back, which is the only wide body commercial aircraft in the country. That’s interesting in and of itself, though what makes this even cooler is how the plane is configured. It has two first class seats, or so the airline claims.
Anyone else fascinated by Georgian Airways’ Boeing 767? How do we get to the bottom of what’s going on here? Can anyone figure out how to actually book this first class?
Please Ben, if you end up flying to Georgia spend a night at Stamba hotel... it doesn't belong to any chain, but from what I've heard it's a solid option in town and it seems to reflect Tbilisi's architecture very well.
My initial thought was 'one seat for the president and one for his wife'.
Then I looked up what those two seats look like and it's basically two business class seats in a burqa. I'd get claustrophobic if I had to spend 6 hours in a tiny room with everyone walking past me on every side of the tiny curtained room. That's a first class nightmare.
Georgian reader here… happy to give them a call and ask around ;)
Also Tbilisi is always worth a visit with very nice hotels in and outside the city. (New Paragraph Luxury Collection , Rooms, Pullman Axis Towers)
And yes, right now Georgian government is not behaving at all but people in Tbilisi are much more progressive and we all hope elections end of October will change lots of things.
2-2-2 in J? Even Icelandair is generous enough for 2-1-2!
Hey, some LH planes are still 2-2-2 in J. And Turkish still has 2-3-2 on on it's 777s.
@Ben found this on airliners.net showing the crew seats on the Omni Air B767;
https://www.airliners.net/photo/Omni-Air-International-OAI/Boeing-767-224-ER/4205239
The "dedicated soft product" is unlimited Khachapuri and rail vodka. Enjoy.
I would take that over LH catering any day!
Rossiya still exists doesn’t it?
@ CT -- Yep, my mistake. For whatever reason I was thinking of Transaero. I'm apparently really exhausted this trip, bleh!
Interesting. I realize from your past posts, you do not select flights based on local legal rights. However, sometimes when new laws / rules take effect, it is worth considering timing of travel.
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/georgian-parliament-approves-law-curbing-lgbt-rights-2024-09-17/
How do you figure Georgia is within Europa?
Ask any Georgian what continent their country is in and they will tell you Europe. They are an EU candidate country and are both culturally and geographically aligned with Europe, not Asia.
Whilst it can be debated to some extent, general consensus in the Caucasus region is that the three Caucasian states, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaidjan, are located in Europe.
There's a video of the Omni 767-200 where you can see those crew seats, that could maybe be made first class...? Floor to ceiling curtain, move over La Premiere :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F-By9ezwfI
good catch, that's almost certainly what it is. Looks like business class seats appropriated as crew rest with a 'box' around them. I wonder if Georgian will differentiate service at all, especially as it looks to be in the business class cabin when the curtains are open.
there's a video on youtube from georgian public broadcaster showing the 767-300 cabin
@ Plop -- Do you have a link? I can't seem to find it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35VYNGIDBCw
@ plop -- Great catch, thank you!
It barely shows the "First Class" section though.
Hope you manage to book it somehow!
The comment re. Skymark is incorrect btw. They are still flying.
@ Scandinavian Traveler -- Whoops, my mistake! Exhaustion from this trip is getting the best of me. Fixed.
Rossiya is also very much still flying; they are a subsidiary company of Aeroflot Group. Maybe you were thinking of Transaero which did go bankrupt some years ago.