STOP SMOKING

  Every  year on  No smoking  Day  in the world,  more than  a  million  people  try  to  quit.  However,  there  are  still  a  number  of  folks  out  there who cling  to  the  anachronistic  pleasure  of  smoking,  and  love  minute  of it. The  rest  us,  though,  be we  smokers  or not,  hope  for the day  when the world  is  no  longer  subjected  to tarry, stinky  and  unhealthy  first-and  second- hand  smoke. Besides  the  general  enjoyment  of the habit,  there are bigger  hurdles  to  overcome  when considering  quitting.  The biggest, and most pervasive,  is the  difficulty  of  getting  over  the  nicotine  addiction.  As  with  most other challenges  in life, there are many  products  and promises  out there are aimed  at  making your journey  towed  a smoke-free life  easier.  Here’s  a list  of  some of the  more  common stop smoking  remedies  on the market. 

  The  patch

 The patch  is one  of the most prevalent stop  smoking  remedies  at your local  chemist. The aim  of the patch  is not to remove  all of the discomfort  that comes  with  quitting,  but to take  the  edge off. This  may  mean  that your symptoms  become  more manageable, thus enabling  you to  withstand  them  longer.  The patch  delivers  small,  even  doses  that  differ  from  the  dramatic  peaks  and  valleys  that come with  cold-turkey  stop  smoking  remedies,  which  is why  you  may  still  suffer  cravings  and  withdrawal  symptoms. 

How  effective  is this  stop  smoking  aid?

 This  aid  is used  daily  for  three  months. Because  it’s  not  a “cure “ for  smoking,  you  will  need  to  exercise  willpower  if you  want  to  quit  smoking.  Most  professionals  suggest  that you  use  the  patch  in  conjunction  with counseling  to increase  your  chances  of  quitting.  Side effects  your  that  have  been associated  with  the patch  include  sleep  disturbance  ( which  is  likely actually  due  to the nicotine  withdrawal  rather  than  the  patch  itself)  and/or  skin  irritation.

The pill

  As  far as stop  smoking  remedies  go, there is a relatively  new  option  on the market,  and it comes  in the form  of an  anti-depressant  pill.  The product’s  name  is  burping  ( otherwise  known  as Zyban),  and  it is a prescription  drug.  Studied have  shown  that  although  this  pill was not  created  to help  smokers  quit, it may help  control  cravings  and withdrawal  symptoms.

  How effective  is this stop  smoking  aid?

 According  to studies,  Zyban  is about  twice as  effective  as  nicotine  replacement  therapies  like gum  and the patch.  There are a few  known  side  effects,  such  as dry  mouth and difficulty  sleeping,  but  drowsiness  and  high  blood  pressure  rarely  occur.  The bonus  of the  pill is that  it is  easy  to  use  and does  not  contain nicotine,  so  it is in on way addictive.

 Gum

 This differs  from the patch or the pill, which  give even levels  of product  throughout  the day. Because  of the smaller  dosage, you may suffer  cravings and withdrawal  symptoms,  but they  should  be  less  intense  and you can  chew  away  when they  become unbearable.

How  effective  is this  stop  smoking  aid?

 Typically,  nicotine  gum  is  used  for three months:  the bonus  with nicotine    gum  is that  you can  chew  it as often  as needed-up to 24  pieces  a ady.  This  means  that you have control  over your  dosage,  and it  keeps your  mouth  and  mind  busy.

 Nicotine  inhaler

 The beauty  of the inhaler is that,  like  nicotine  gum,  it’s  possible  to take  a dose  whenever  you have a craving.  This  means that,  unlike  the  even-delivery  systems of  other  stop  smoking  remedies  such  as  the patch, you mimic  cases  your  body  demands  more  nicotine  when  it  gets  low).

 How  effective  is  this stop  smoking  aid?

   Overall, it is  similar  to the  patch  an the gum  because  it dose  deliver  nicotine,  but  in a much  smaller  dosage.  Irritation  of the  mouth  and throat  are the  common  side  effects  associated  with  the nicotine  inhaler. 

Other stop  smoking  remedies

Hypnosis

   This  method  is meant  to stop  your  desire  for  cigarettes  on an  unconscious  level.  Many  people  claim  that  hypnosis  is effective,  but there  is no  proof  of this. 

  Acupuncture

 Based  on  ancient  Chinese  medical  techniques,  acupuncture  attempts  to  stimulate  energy  points  in the body.  Certainly,  there  are no  know  negative  side  effects  of acupuncture,  so  if you  think  it might  help, it  may be  worth a try.

Kick  butt

  The associated  dangers  of  smoking  are  no  secret,  and it's  relieving  to know  that  there are so  many  products  directed  expressly  at  helping  you quit.  All  manufacturers  of  these  aids  and  medical  experts  agree,  however,  that  you  should  use  stop  smoking  remedies  in  conjunction  with counseling  or  GROUP  therapy  to  help  increase  your  chances  for  success. Try  hard not to get discouraged –it is said that each  time you attempt to quit smoking your chances of success increase!

FOUR---LEGGED TRAVELERS

   If you are not someone like Paris  Hilton, traveling  with  pets is not something  you  normally  do. But if you do  have a pet, it is quite possible  that some day it may become your  companion  on a journey. To avoid  unnecessary  hassle  and annoyance, try to acquire all the necessary  information beforehand:  get acquainted  with the relevant  regulations  in the country  of your  destinations;   and by all means  consult  with your  vet about  your  pet’s  health.

   To travel  with a pet you will need a whole  bunch  of  documents  and,  first  of all, a veterinarian  passport. Many people  think that passports are needed only for pedigree “Club” dogs,  but  that is  not  true. The  owners  of the pets  that  are clud  members  receive  a so-called “birth  certificate”  attesting to the animal’s  breed,  which  entitles them for participation  at exhibitions  and contests. But that  “birth certificate” is  not a passport  and  cannot  authorize  traveling with a pet.

  Those who have four-legged  friends  may probably  that  there are certain  rules  about  the care of cats  and dogs  effective  on the territory of all countries. According to those  rules, all the dogs  belonging  to citizens  are subject  to mandatory  registration  and monthly registration.  Apart  from that, starting from  three months all dogs  should  be vaccinated  within two weeks of acquisition  against  rabies ( hydrophobia).  All  newly  purchased animals  are  required  to get  registered  within two  weeks of acquisition.

  Prior  to the travel, the pet must be completely  and totally  healthy: this  is  important  not only for the pet itself,  but also for its owner to get the necessary  references  from the vet.

  On  a plane,  animals  are transported  in the baggage  chamber.  Some  carriers  permit transporting  one pet (a  dog, a cat  or  a  bird)  in the cabin,  in a properly  manufactured  cage if the aggregate  weight  of the animal  and the cage does  not exceed  the allowed  kilos  for  hand luggage;   otherwise  your  minion will  have  travel  in the baggage  chamber.

    In order to travel  with a pet, the passenger  should  have an adequate  container.  The container  or the  cage  should be  made of  solid  material  like  plastic  or metal  because  the regulations  on the transportation  of animals prohibit  the  usage of  soft  material  bags.  The container  should  have  air-holes  and its  bottom should  be  water  resistant  covered  with a cloth.  The   containers  devised  for  dogs  should  allow the animal  to  stand  up  and  turn  at  360degrees.  As   an exception  to this  rule,  some  airline  companies  allow transporting  animals  in tightly  closed  baskets  or other  convenient  containers. 

   If your  four-legged  friend  is  traveling  in the cabin  of an airliner,  you  may not  let  it out  of the container  to take a walk  during  the flight.  This refers  particularly  to  cats  who should  not be allowed  to  sit  in their  master’s  lap:  the  animal  may get startled  by a  noise  or  movement  and  jump  on other passengers.  You do the math.

   As a general  rule, the weight  of the pet  container  is not included  in the  weight  of the complimentary  hand  baggage.  The owner  is charged  a supplementary  fee  for the container.  Free  of charge  transportation  is  permitted  only  for  guide  dogs  accompanying  their  masters  during   the  flight.

    To sum  it up,  before  setting  off for a journey  on board  a plane animals  should have a passport, a vet’s  certificate  from  their  registration  institution  and a certificate  asserting  to the fact  that  the animal  has  been  vaccinated.          One more  thing:  on the border  to some  CIS and other  countries  only  a vet’s  certificate is  required  at  the  entrance  to the  destination  country.  Entering  EU  states,  travelers  are   required  to  observe  certain rules and  regulations  even  if  they  are in  transit. Among  the  most  important  requirements  are the  availability  of a  vaccination  certificate  and  a  microchip  inserted  under the skin of the  animal  containing  information ( passport  data,  medical  examinations,  immunization  records,  etc.)  about  the pet. Also  you should  keep  in mind  that  when you  buy a ticket  the air  carrier  needs  to be  notified about  your  intention  to travel  with a pet  because  as  a general  rule,  they  enter that information  in their  log. 

  

LITTLE PEOPLE IN BIG AIRPORTS

Traveling, as a rule, is a whole  lot of  excitement, especially  for the mischievous  little  angels who, from the moment they arrive  at the airport,  keep running  from window  to window  trying to see as much as they can, getting  in the way of total strangers and  causing  their  parents  a real headache. It  appears  that the minute  you let them out  of your  sight  you will  lose  them or  have  to face  a whole  host  of problems. In reality,  it is  not as terrible  as it seems:  simply, the children themselves  should be aware of a few things  that will  help them avoid  trouble.

• Little  one, if you get lost at the airport  or cannot find  the people that accompany  you, do not be scared: turn  to any of the airport  employees and they will certainly  assist you.  You can recognize  them  by their  uniforms. But under no circumstance  should  you leave the premises of the airport.
• Try to memorize  your parent’s  phone  numbers before  you set off  for your trip.
• If the child is too young to memorize  such information, the adults could write down on a piece of paper their names or the name of the person accompanying  the  child,  and put it in the kid’s pocket.
• Remember, cleanliness must be maintained  both  at the airport  and on  board the airplane. Do  not throw  the  candy chewing  gum  wrapper on the floor: instead, toss it into  the nearby waste bin.
• Be careful  while  using the escalator. Make sure that your  shoelaces are tied. If  you are holding a bag or  clothes (your  jacket, scarf, etc.) make  sure they don’t  get stuck between  the stairs. Remember, you should  not lean on the belt.
• If you  flight is delayed, you can spend your time at the nursery  room. It has all the necessary  conditions  to ensure that waiting is not boring for children.
•  On board the airplane, you  should be disciplined  as well. When the plane takes off or prepares  for landing, all passengers should  fasten their  seatbelts.
• If  you need something  during the flight, call the stewardess. To do that you will have to press the corresponding  button  over your  head.
• If you feel  discomfort in your ears during the flight,  sip a  little  water or simply  try to yawn. 
• In order not to get bored, you can listen  to music  or watch  a movie. You can also take  some games  or toys  with you to play, but they must  be noiseless so that other   passengers do not get annoyed.

What  is  important to know when traveling with kids?

• Depending  on your destination and, of course, the carriers regulations, the following  tariffs  are in effect  for  children.
• For children  below  two  years of age (infant) only 0-10%  of the airfare  is charged.
• For children  aged 2-12 (Child) only 50-67%  of the airfare is charged.
• For children  above 12 years  of age (Adult) the total  amount of the airfare is  charged.
•  All passengers, even  infants and newborn  children, are required to have a passport.  It the child  has not reached the age of an “Adult”, a temporary  passport ,   called an exit  passport,  is  issued.
  

Letter of Attorney

 If the child  is traveling  without parents or is accompanied by another person, the availability of a Letter of Attorney  is mandatory. If the child is accompanied only by the father, in certain  cases  a letter  of  authorization  signed by  the mother may be required.

  To avoid any complications it would be preferable  that the Letter of Attorney be in Russian  or English,  depending  on the destination of your  trip.

VACATION NUISANCE

   Vacation:  a blissful  word  for every  hard-working  person  accompanied  by  still more delightful  images of  idleness,  purging of all  important  calls and  meetings  that you used  to run  late for because  of  traffic  jams and other predicaments,  feverishly trying to  think of an  excuse to justify  yourself before your partner or  mitigate the rage of your employer to somehow  suspend the impulse of firing you. In addition,  you may enjoy the luxury of not looking through your  e-mails.

  And so, filled with joy and upbeat  expectations  of benefiting from every single  jiffy of your leisure, you set off for your journey.  But… sometimes even the slightest nuisance may spoil your entire holiday.

  It is a know fact that during a vacation any little disappointment or distress is more disturbing than in everyday life. However,  predicting and preventing “unpleasant vacation surprises” altogether is simply impossible.  Considering them beforehand would be good  though, at least to know what  to  expect and what to pay attention to during your successive  voyages and vacations.

  Weather can disrupt any perfectly arranged  vacation. As a rule, we  all expect  the weather  to be fine on our holidays  with a lot of sun during  the day and evening  cools. On  the other hand,  we all live  in the 21^st century, therefore the weather  quirks  can  be conjectured  days ahead.  This  will help  choose  the clothing  to be packed. However, if you are not fully contented with the anticipated  weather  conditions  and are not a big  fan of rainy  weather, you always  change your ticket  for  another  destination.

  Another  disappointment during  a  vacation may be posed by  accommodation. Unfortunately,  quite  often  tour  agencies  tell you one  thing, whereas  upon the arrival  you  discover a quite different  reality. In such  circumstances  the promises of your  travel  agent  about  luxury  hotels  and  first-class  service  turn out  to be an unsubstantiated fairy-tale.  Therefore, when  told  about  four  or  five-star  hotels, try  not to envision lavish  conveniences  because  in that  case  your  disillusionment  will  not be too  devastating.

  Anyway, if  hotel  conditions  are vitally important  to  you and are an addict of the principle  “expensive,  but  premium  quality”, try  to use  prestigious  tour  agencies  that  have proven  their  proficiency  over  years  and  can offer upscale  options  for similarly  “upscale”  remuneration.

  Another  source  for  annoyance  and irritation  may be people, i. e. other  holiday-makers, the service  personnel,  tiresome  strangers,  etc. If the destination  of your choice  is not  inhabited  by such  hospitable  people  as the Armenians,  quite  frustrating  may be the local people, too,  with their ungracious  and unfriendly  attitude.

  In  addition, trouble  may descend  upon you in the form  of your better  half. Without  going into too much detail,  sometimes  when couples do  not file  for divorce immediately  after their vacation  together, they  prefer to spend the next vacation separately.

   Health problems,  however, may turn  out to be the most overwhelming  nuisance  during a  vacation.  Sometimes  they may keep you nailed to your  hotel bed throughout  the whole period  of your  vacation  with your greatest consolation being the admiration of the view outside. In  such instances  your vacation may  be effectively  ruined altogether.

  To  avoid that, it would be reasonable  to take preventive  measure before setting off for a journey. If you suffer any chronic  diseases, if you have allergies  or other health problems,  consult your physician  and take all the necessary medication with you.

  Incidentally, a good way to avert any unexpected  health problems is  medical insurance, especially with consideration of the  fact that  some  countries (the European Union,  for  instance) simply require medical insurance from visitors.

  Many  insurance companies offer general and comprehensive  coverage for travelers. Travel  insurance, as a rule, includes medical  assistance in the first place, affording coverage  for emergency  health care, medical  evacuation and post-mortem expatriation  costs. Travelers can  also take  advantage of a wider ranger of  compensation including delinquent baggage,  missed  flights,  baggage  loss and other types  of reimbursement. 

  One may think  of hundreds of other tribulations that may ruin a vacation,  including  the  biggest  problem  that may simply  make you  abandon any  ideas of a blissful  vacation: the  scarcity of finance. Nevertheless, the best  option is to venture out with a confidence  that no one and nothing can mess up your  plans.  Only in that case will you be able to face any problem  that may come your way with an optimistic smile and join those  people who  talk  about their holiday  nuisance with a great deal of good-humored irony.  

VARDAVAR

                          July 15-Feast  of Transfiguration  of Our Lord Jesus Christ

 

  The Feast  of the Transfiguration of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is one of the  five  main «Tabernacle»  feasts of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  It  commemorates the transformation  or the «transfiguration» that  came  over Jesus  while  He  was praying.  Christ's face  shone  like  the sun and his clothes became  a radiant  and gleaming  white.    The Apostles  Peter, James  and john  witnessed  the  event, which  occurred  on a high  mountain named  Tabor.

  Evangelists  St. Matthew,  St. Mark  and  St.  Luke  testify  about  the transfiguration  of Jesus  in the Gospels  (Matthew  17:1-13; mark 9:1-12,  Luke  9:28-36).

…  As  they  looked  on, a  change  came  over  Jesus: his  face  was  shining like  the  sun  and  his  clothes  were dazzling  white.  Then  the three disciples  saw  Moses and  Elijah  talking  with  Jesus.  So  peter  spoke up and said to Jesus,  « Lord, how good  it is  that  we  are here! If  you  wish  i  will  make three  tents  here, one  for  you, one  for Moses  and  one  for  Elijah».  While  he was  talking,  a  shining  cloud  came  over  them,  and a voice  from  the  cloud  said, «This  is  my  own  dear  Son,  with  whom I  am  pleased-listen  to  him!» When  the disciples  heard  the  voice,  they  were so terrified  that  they  threw  themselves  face downward  on the ground.  Jesus  came to them  and  touched  them.  «Get  up, «  he said.  « don't  be afraid!»  So  they looked up  and  saw  no one  there but Jesus. (Matthew  17:2-8)

   In the Armenian  church, the Feast of the Transfiguration  of Our Lord Jesus  Christ  is  celebrated  98 days  after Easter.  It  is  a movable  holiday  and  may  occur  during  the period  from  June  28  to August  1.  The Feast  is  also  known  by the common  name of  «Vardavar».  This  day  is  an  ancient  ritual  dating  back  4-5 millennia,  established  by the Forefather Noah,  and is  associated  with  an  old  Armenian  tradition  of  pouring  water on  one  another. On  that  day, Armenians  weave  wreathes  of  colorful  flowers,  especially  red  roses  ( in Armenian  « vard»)  to  decorate  their  temples  and  churches.  They  also  swim  in  rivers  and  release  doves  in  remembrance  of  Noah  and  the  deliverance  from  the  deluge. Just  as  before  the  Feast  of the Holy  Mother's  Transfiguration,  when  people  are  not  allowed  to  eat  grapes,  people  are not  allowed  to  eat  apples, the  tradition  know  as  «Apple  Feast».  In various  regions  of  Armenia  Vardavar  is  celebrated  with  a  variety  of  festivities. According  to the  national  tradition, on  the  night  of  Vardavar,  divine  light  descends  on the  tombs  of  the  saints  and  whoever  witnesses  it  will  have  his  most  sacred  dreams  fulfilled.  Some  sources  attribute the  tradition  as  a remnant  of an Armenian  pre-Christian  celebration. The  Monday  following  the  feast  is a  Memorial  Day.  Masses  are  served in  churches  on that  day  followed  by  liturgical  rituals,  after  which  people  pay  visits to their relatives'  graves.  

           This material has  been  courteously  provided by the press service of the  Ararat Patriarchal  Diocese at       www.qahana.am

                                                                                   

                                                                                          

MEAT TO EAT

   Red-meat  addicts, it’s  time  for a dose  of  reality. A  recent  10-year study,  the  European  Prospective  Investigation  into  Cancer  and  Nutrition  (EPIC)  found  that  guys  (and girls ) who eat  just 10oz (283 g )  of red meat a week  are more  likely   to develop colon   cancer  than guys who don’t. Not a nice thought.  If you want to learn witch  meats are the  worst  offenders, check  out  our  article on unhealthy  meats.  While  nothing can replace  a mouthwatering  streak, there are plenty of tasty  alternatives to hold you over. Here are  five healthy  meats  that won’t wreak  havoc on your colon.

Buffalo (Bison)

 No matter how good white  meat can be, it will never  truly satiate  the  craving  for red meat. Buffalo,  however, can. It’s probably the reddest  meat  you’ll ever see and  unlike beef, it’s pretty  good  for  you. A hunk of buffalo  has far less fat than steak  and  buffalo are generally  grass-fed, which  means healthier  meat. Let’s  compare burgers:  Your  typical  lean hamburger (10% fat)  contains  about  0.32oz (9 g) of fat. Buffalo  burgers, on the other hand,  contain  less than  half  that, about 0.14 oz (4 g). Not bad for a tasty  burger. There was a point when  buffalo  were endangered, but the beasts have made  a comeback,  especially  on  ranches. Today, buffalo meat  is  readily  available  in most  grocery  stores.

Pork

  Pork chops used to be on the doctors’ hit list. Today, however, pork  is  “the  other  white  meat”  and  is a  healthy alternative  to  red meat. And when  it’s eaten  in reasonable  quantities  (8 oz), a pork  chop  can be quite  good  for you. Pork  chops can be relatively  lean, but they’re typically not as  low-fat  as chicken  or fish. By contrast, however, a USDA, University  of Wisconsin  and Maryland study  found  that  a 3oz (85  g)  serving  of pork tenderloin  contains 0.105 oz (2089 g ) of fat and that the same portion  of  skinless  chicken  breast  contains  0.106 oz ( 3.03 g ) of fat. If chops are still your thing, look  for lean ones, and  trim the fat before you eat   them. A typical pock chop, with  the fat cut off,  contains  about 0.3 oz (8 g ) of fat. Beware, however; both  meats may  contain nitrates and nitrites  linked to cancer.

Chicken

 White meat is much better for you than red- that’s  a well-known fact. As such, chicken ( not deep-fried) is a great  alternative  to red  meats. It’s low in fat-without  the skin-and it’s  pretty tasty  if  it’s prepared  correctly. Chicken is a great source  of protein and, as an  added  bonus, it’s less expensive  than  beef. But  remember, there’s always  the risk of E. coli  infection  when you’re  dealing  with chicken. Be sure to  cook  or heat it to an internal  temperature  of at  least  165F to kill off the bugs.  Also, charred grilled  chicken  can contain some cancer-causing chemicals, such as heterocyclic amines, so limit your  consumption  of  well-blackened  chicken.

Turkey

 This big bird  never saw it coming. Domestic  turkey  is a relatively  recent addition  to the world’s protein  menu, and  it’s great  for you. Turkey is generally a white  meat (turkey breast), but it packs  more flavor than chicken, and its dark meat can be downright gamy. Turkey  meat is also  relatively  low in fat: one 4.9 oz (140g ) serving  of skinless roasted  turkey  contains  about 0.25 oz (7 g) of fat.

 There’s a popular  belief  that turkey  makes  you sleepy, and it does, due  to the sleep-inducing amino  acid tryptophan  within, but  it’s not enough  to knock  you out.

Fish

  A properly  cooked  hunk  of fish  can be as satisfying  as a  great  steak. Plus, many  fish  (typically  salmon  and  tuna) are  packed  with  omega-3  fatty  acids, which  have  been linked  to  decreased  rates of  heart  disease.  Circulation  published a study  that  suggests  lean, white  fish,  such  as cod, don’t  provide  the  same  health  benefits  as  fattier  fish  do. Another  extensive  EPIC study found  that  people  who  eat  lost  of fish are  less likely  to  develop  colon  cancer  than  those  who  don’t. But be  careful: big  fish like  tuna  can contain  high  levels  of  mercury, which  is a poison  to the  human body.  So, how  much  fish  can you eat  and  be  safe? It depends. Avoid  large  fish that  eat other fist- tuna, swordfish  and  shark-and  stick  to  smaller  fish, which  tend to contain less mercury  than  bigger  fish. Local levels of mercury  vary;  check  with your nearby  fish and  game  agency to  see which  fish  contain  high  levels  of  mercury.

  Everything in moderation

 It is absolutely true that  you can  have  too much of  a good  thing. Moderate  your  overall  intake  of  meat  and  fat,  and  you’ll stay  healthier. As a general rule,  many  nutritionists suggest  that  your  portion  of  meat  should be  about the size of your first. It seems  small, but  it’s enough. And be sure to balance your diet with lost of fruits and veggies.

LOST AND FOUND

  
  We have  two pieces  of  information associated  with baggage: one good  and  one bad. Let’s  start  with the  bad one: sometimes  luggage  gets  lost  en  route  for a variety  of reasons. Sometimes  the  passenger  has to  change  planes  several  times  whereupon  the  chances  of  losing baggage  increase. There is  no need to describe  everything  that a piece  of  luggage  has to  pass through;  suffice  it to note  that apart from technical circumstances  there is the human factor, so  you cannot possibly insure yourself against  all kinds of contingencies.

  Now  the good news: airports  operate a Lost & Found facility. If you  happen  to  lose your  luggage  your  search should  commence  from  there. The  Lost  & Found  service  at  the Zvartnots  international  airport performs  its  functions  outstandingly. A  link between  the passenger  and the carrier, the Lost & Found  carries out its obligations  in conformance  with prior  arrangements  between  the airport  and  the air  companies.

Passengers  must pay  attention  during  the check-in as to have the right tag numbers  stuck to their luggage to avoid further mix-up.

   Though it looks  simple from  the outside, this  service area in  fact  represents  a quite  complicated  mechanism  set  in motion  by  World-Tracer, a  luggage  tracing  program  reminiscent  of  an internet. It  enables exchange  of  information  on misplaced  baggage  among  the Lost  & Found  service  at all the airports of the world.

   It is worth pointing  out that unlike  other  airports, Zvartnots  is very  consistent  with regard  to the so-called “ baggage”,  which nearly  eliminates  any possibility  of  a passenger  walking  out  with  someone  else’s  luggage.

  What should  be done  if your  plane lands  and  your luggage does  not appear on the band?  Immediately contact the Lost & Found.

  The staff  will enter your data  including  your name,  your carrier,  your flight number and the  tag number of  your  item. Passengers must pay attention during  the  check-in  as  to have   the right tag  numbers  stuck  to their  luggage  to avoid  further  mix-up.  The Lost  &  Fund’s  staff  will show you photographs of travel  cases  to  identify  the   type  of  your  suitcase. The brand,  the  model, the size,  the color  and the types  of  the handles  and locks  are  registered  under  corresponding codes. After recording   all the  information, a  “ dossier”  of your  lost  item  is created  with  its identification  number  consisting  of ten  characters  ( five  letters  and five  digits). The first  three letters  are  constant, “evn”  meaning  Yerevan, the two  successive  numbers  stand  for  the carrier  and the selection  of the  further  digits is optional.  

  The process  becomes  more  complicated  when there is no tag number  on the luggage. In such instances  the passenger  is required  to  describe  in detail the contents  of the bag. It is important  to provide the most useful information,  for instance an exceptional item in the case  or something notable  in the pocket. Do not deliberate as to what  color your trousers or shirts  were because  such items could be found  in any other suitcase.

  Any  luggage item found within the territory of  the airport is  turned  over to the Lost & Found Office to be logged and placed on the World-TRACER  with its ten  digit identification number. If  the tag  is broken,   the staff  has to open the  suitcase  and  record  the contents.

   It is  also  possible  for suitcase  to get damaged during  the baggage  handling at  the airport. Large  suitcases  may fall on smaller  ones, the items may  fall  off the trolley and,  finally, porters  may not be careful in handling. Sometimes passengers  discover  that  some of their items  are missing. In such cases the appropriate  entity to turn to is the Lost & Found, where corresponding logging will be carried out for possible  reimbursement. The damaged  suitcases are  photographed and their  approximate value  is verified (therefore if you are  carrying a newly purchased  suitcase, you’d better keep the receipt).

   Zvartnots  airport’s responsibility  for luggage  tracing expires in five days, following which period the air carrier takes  full responsibility for locating  the lost items. All damages associated  with the luggage are borne by the carrier. Compensation criteria  may  vary depending upon which international air treaty  the given carrier company  is part of.

  Being  informed  means being “ armed”. Nonetheless, we are very hopeful that you never have your luggage never appears  in the Lost & Found stockroom.