The History of Belavia

BELAVIA Belarusian Airlines has a long history. It was officially formed in 1996 and was developed through the Belarusian Civil Aviation Association. Belarusian civil aviation started way back in 1933, when the Minsk International Airport was opened. The airline is still run by the Belarus government.

The company merged with Mogilevavia in 2000, with services to Paris starting the next year. 2003 brought regular flights to Kaliningrad and the arrival of the fleet's first Boeing 737-500. In 2004, the airline won the Bronze Medal from the National Brand of the Year. In 2007, the company started services to many more destinations and collaborated with Azal, an Azerbaijani airline. They also introduced e-tickets to make the process of booking more modern and convenient.

The company now flies to over 40 destinations around the world, from Europe to the Middle East. They have a fleet of over 26 planes and over 1,000 employees. The airline hit a big milestone in 2011 when they celebrated the fact that they had flown over one million passengers. They also developed their website with a '3D Fleet' program that allows customers to take a virtual tour of their aircraft.

Flying with Belavia

Belavia offers Economy and Business Class services on its flights. Business Class passengers are offered benefits, such as extra baggage allowance and a dedicated lounge area. There are three economy packages: Flexible Economy, Semi-Flexible Economy and Limited Economy. Flexible and Semi-Flexible packages have added extras such as no penalties for booking changes.

The airline offers a frequent-flyer service called Belavia Leader. Silver members must take 30 or more flights with the airline during one calendar year, or earn 20,000 or more points. Benefits include access to the Business Class airport lounge, as well as an extra 10 kg of baggage allowance. Gold members must take 60 or more flights or collect 40,000 or more qualifying points within one calendar year. Benefits include upgrades to Business Class and a 25% bonus on accruing points.

Practical and Check-in Information

Belavia advises passengers to check-in at least 2 hours before their flight departure time. They must carry valid ID/passports/visas. There are separate check-in desks for Economy and Business Class passengers, and the airline offers online check-in, as well as self-registration at certain airports.

Luggage Allowance:

• The airline advises that passengers carry all valuable items such as money, medicine, keys and jewelry in their carry-on baggage. The size allowance of carry-on baggage is the same for all classes and must measure a maximum of 50 х 40 х 20 cm. The weight allowance is higher for Business Class and Frequent-Flyer passengers.

• The airline allows one piece of checked baggage per customer, and it must be 50 х 50 х 100 сm or smaller. Economy Class passengers have a lower weight allowance than Business Class and Frequent-Flyer customers.

• For more information on baggage allowances, forbidden items, and additional baggage costs, visit Belavia's Baggage Page.