Georgian Airways is a privately owned Georgian carrier. It began as Airzena, founded in 1993, and was later renamed Georgian Airways. The head office is in Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, and the main operating base is Tbilisi International Airport (TBS). The IATA two-letter code is A9, the ICAO three-letter code is TGZ, and the official website is georgian-airways.com.
The company operates passenger and cargo services with a fleet built around Boeing 737 narrowbodies and Boeing 767 widebodies. In July 2024 it took delivery of its first Boeing 767-300ER (BDSF) freighter, leased on a multi-year basis from Cargo Aircraft Management, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group. The aircraft gave Georgian Airways an independent freighter operation for the first time.
Georgia lies south of the Caucasus range and holds the overland corridor between the Black Sea and the Caspian. It was an important node on the Silk Road in earlier centuries. Tbilisi, the capital, has long served as an air gateway between Europe, the Caucasus and the Middle East. As the largest private carrier based in the country, Georgian Airways covers major European cities and Mediterranean holiday destinations in the summer timetable and keeps a high-frequency Tbilisi to Tel Aviv service all year.
In recent years the Georgian government has promoted free trade zones and reciprocal visa-free arrangements, and transit passengers and transit cargo at Tbilisi airport have grown steadily. Georgian Airways has used this opening to expand its cargo business, adding a freighter and pushing belly sales, and is moving from a pure passenger carrier toward a combined passenger and cargo regional airline.
For Chinese shippers, Georgian Airways does not itself fly the intercontinental route between China and Tbilisi. Its value lies in being the regional carrier between the Caucasus, Europe and the Middle East. Export cargo from China can reach Tbilisi through Vienna, Amsterdam, Paris or a Middle East hub, and is then distributed by the Georgian Airways belly network to points around the Caucasus and in the Middle East. As an important node country along the Belt and Road, Georgia gives Tbilisi airport a regional hub role in the China to Europe land-sea express corridor and in Central Asian transhipment.
In trade terms, Chinese exports to Georgia are mainly mechanical and electrical products, high-technology goods, textiles, consumer goods and auto parts, while Georgian exports to China are mainly minerals, agricultural products and seafood. Two-way belly capacity serves both the distribution of Chinese manufactures in the Caucasus and neighbouring markets and the air channel for samples of Georgian agricultural products back to China.
Georgian Airways does not currently publish a direct office in China. Contact its local agent in China or ask us to make the connection. Cargo originating in China is not handed over to Georgian Airways directly. It is carried to Tbilisi by an international long-haul carrier, and the Georgian Airways ground agent then takes over for pickup and distribution.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited handles booking, customs clearance, cargo consolidation and documentation at origin in China, and works with the long-haul carrier and the local ground agent in Tbilisi to move cargo on a through air waybill to points in Europe, the Middle East and the Caucasus covered by the Georgian Airways network. Shippers with a specific destination airport together with piece, weight and dimension details can send us the booking request and we will price the full routing.
Shippers who want to review Georgian Airways cargo products and handling rules directly can find fleet and route information at georgian-airways.com. For capacity confirmation, overweight surcharges and air waybill issuance on interline shipments, it is better to submit through us as the forwarding agent, which avoids booking delays caused by differences in multilingual document formats.
The active Georgian Airways fleet is built around Boeing passenger aircraft, with one freighter. Cargo configuration by type is set out in the table.
| Aircraft type | Cargo mode | Main use |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-700 | Belly cargo on passenger aircraft | Short-haul passenger and belly cargo services from Tbilisi to Europe and the Middle East |
| Boeing 737-800 | Belly cargo on passenger aircraft | European mainline and Middle East routes such as Tel Aviv |
| Boeing 767 passenger aircraft | Widebody belly capacity with a higher payload | Long-haul European and seasonal holiday routes |
| Boeing 767-300ER (BDSF) freighter | Freighter loading, with air cargo as the core business | Scheduled and charter cargo flights from Tbilisi |
The Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 are single-aisle narrowbodies with moderate belly space, suited to express shipments, trade samples and high-value small pieces on regional routes. The belly of the Boeing 767 widebody takes LD2 and LD3 containers and carries more loose and standard ULD traffic. The 767-300ER (BDSF) freighter has the cabin seats removed so the main deck takes standard pallets and containers, and it is the core asset of the cargo business. Fleet numbers and configurations change with the operating plan, and the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking applies.
In cargo terms, a 737 belly carries a few tonnes per flight, which suits frequent small lots within the region. The 767 widebody and the freighter carry more than twenty tonnes per flight and take standard pallets and containers from long-haul sectors. As 767 freighter operations mature, Georgian Airways will be able to absorb more consolidated volume through its Tbilisi connecting network.
As a Caucasus regional carrier, Georgian Airways publishes no scheduled service within China. Chinese shippers reach its network by having an international long-haul carrier move the cargo from a major Chinese hub to Tbilisi, where Georgian Airways takes over for distribution. The table lists the usual Chinese departure airports and how they connect into the network.
| China cities | Airport code | Connecting carriers | Schedule and remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | CAN | Via Vienna or Amsterdam to Tbilisi | Several connections a week, belly capacity |
| Shanghai | PVG | Via Paris or Amsterdam to Tbilisi | Several connections daily, times local |
| Beijing | PEK / PKX | Via a European hub to Tbilisi | Several connections a week, operated on a weekly schedule |
| Hong Kong | HKG | Via a Middle East hub to Tbilisi | Suited to consolidation and dispatch for South China and cross-border e-commerce shippers |
All schedules above are given in local time. Actual schedules change with the season, and the carrier's confirmation on the day of booking governs. Georgian Airways runs a dense European and Middle East schedule beyond Tbilisi, covering Vienna, Paris, Nice, Amsterdam, Munich, Berlin, Milan, Larnaca and Rome in the summer timetable and operating a daily direct service to Tel Aviv.
When choosing a departure gateway, shippers in South China can use Guangzhou Baiyun or Hong Kong International, shippers in East China Shanghai Pudong, and shippers in North China Beijing Daxing or Beijing Capital. We have cargo collection points in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Foshan and Yiwu to consolidate and clear goods for shippers in different regions, then arrange truck flights to the nearest international gateway.
Connecting through the Tbilisi hub into the Georgian Airways network gives Chinese export cargo the following coverage: all of Georgia (Tbilisi, Batumi, Kutaisi), Armenia (Yerevan), Azerbaijan (Baku), the Middle East (Tel Aviv), and Europe (Vienna in Austria, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Paris and Nice in France, Munich and Berlin in Germany, Milan and Rome in Italy, Larnaca in Cyprus).
For Chinese shippers this network covers the main industrial and commercial centres of the Caucasus and the Black Sea rim. Mechanical and electrical products, high-technology goods, textiles, general merchandise and auto parts exported from China to Georgia and its neighbours can be consolidated in Guangzhou or Shanghai, flown to Tbilisi by a European long-haul carrier and distributed from there by Georgian Airways to points in the Caucasus and the Middle East. The reciprocal visa waiver between Georgia and China and the free trade talks have further supported bilateral trade and travel.
For Chinese cargo destined for Central Asian countries, Tbilisi can also serve as an alternative transhipment point to the west or north. Compared with the restricted corridors for direct China to Central Asia traffic, transit through Tbilisi gives access to more stable capacity and more flexible distribution under European carrier networks. The routing has to be designed case by case according to the final destination country and the transit time required.
The advantages for Chinese shippers fall into three areas. First, Tbilisi airport sits on the main Caucasus corridor and is a natural connecting point between Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, and as the local carrier Georgian Airways responds quickly on ground handling and customs coordination. Second, the Boeing 767 freighter introduced in 2024 gives the company the ability to run freighter flights of its own and to handle consolidated transit and distribution of China-origin cargo at Tbilisi. Third, Georgian Airways already has interline arrangements with European long-haul carriers, so a through air waybill can be issued at origin in China, avoiding re-clearance and document exchange in Tbilisi.
For Chinese companies working in infrastructure construction, industrial park development and re-export trade in Georgia, the low tariff environment and free port policy make Tbilisi an important distribution centre for Chinese goods entering the Caucasus and Central Asian markets. The Georgian Airways belly network supports this trade with air capacity.
Regionally, Azerbaijan Airlines, Armenia Airways and other carriers offer similar belly services in the Caucasus. Georgian Airways stands out for its denser European network, its wider summer city coverage and the extra capacity the 767 freighter provides for consolidated loads. At the booking stage Chinese shippers can compare connection times and freight rates between regional carriers for the final destination, and we help select the best routing.
The standard routing for Chinese shippers using the Georgian Airways network runs as follows. Step one: the shipper sends a booking request to Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited stating the airport of departure (Guangzhou CAN, Shanghai PVG or Hong Kong HKG are suggested), the final destination station (Tbilisi TBS or a European or Middle East point in the network), the pieces, weight and dimensions, the HS code and any restricted content. Step two: we check connectable capacity against the long-haul carrier's schedule and issue the booking reference for the through air waybill. Step three: the shipper delivers the cargo to the airport cargo terminal or to our bonded facility before the documentation cut-off, and we complete screening, palletising and customs clearance. Step four: after the long-haul carrier lands at Tbilisi, the Georgian Airways ground agent takes over and the cargo moves into its belly or freighter flights for distribution to the final station.
For regular shippers we can total volumes monthly and negotiate contract rates with the long-haul carrier and the local Tbilisi agent. For urgent shipments we can request capacity within a few hours of the cut-off. Insurance certificates, certificates of origin and other accompanying documents can be requested at the booking stage and are checked in advance by our documentation team.
Where the consignee has its own customs team in Georgia, we can hand the cargo over at the pickup area of the Tbilisi airport cargo terminal under the terms of the air waybill, and the consignee completes clearance and inland distribution. Where the shipper wants us to run the whole job, we connect with our local Tbilisi agent for clearance, pickup and onward booking on Georgian Airways regional flights, and deliver to the address the consignee specifies in Europe or the Middle East.
The Georgian Airways 767 freighter is available for scheduled cargo flights and charters, which suits Chinese exporters shipping large volumes in a defined window. High-value electronics, auto parts and pharmaceutical intermediates can travel in the belly under normal conditions. Out-of-gauge or overweight equipment, construction vehicles and special cargo need to be submitted at least two weeks ahead so the carrier can assess loading through the freighter cargo door.
For Chinese companies with project sites in Georgia, Georgian Airways can provide temporary storage and labelling at Tbilisi so deliveries can be staged to the site. Acceptance of dangerous goods, perishables and live animals follows the documents confirmed by the long-haul carrier and the Georgian Airways cargo department on the day of booking.
As an air gateway to the Caucasus, Georgia can also support concentrated charter demand from Chinese exporters at particular times of year on its freighter flights. For high-value electronics, auto parts and pharmaceutical intermediates, declared value for carriage can be arranged on the long-haul sector to raise the liability limit under the air waybill. For transit cargo that needs temporary storage, labelling and repalletising at Tbilisi, the local agent can provide short-term warehousing.
Georgian Airways publishes no scheduled service within China. The company runs Europe, Middle East and Caucasus regional routes from its Tbilisi hub. Chinese shippers reach the network by having an international long-haul carrier move the cargo from Guangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong to Tbilisi, and Georgian Airways then distributes it to points in Europe, the Middle East and neighbouring countries. We can issue the through air waybill so customs is cleared once for the whole journey. The China-origin sector usually connects through a European hub such as Vienna, Amsterdam or Paris.
In July 2024 the company took delivery of its first Boeing 767-300ER (BDSF) freighter, leased from CAM, a subsidiary of ATSG. The aircraft is used mainly for scheduled cargo flights and charters from Tbilisi, and specific routes and schedules follow the carrier's notices. Cargo originating in China that reaches Tbilisi on a long-haul carrier can connect to other points on this freighter. The aircraft lets Georgian Airways handle consolidated transit cargo, which matters in practice for Chinese companies moving project materials within the Caucasus.
Chinese exports to Georgia are mainly mechanical and electrical products, high-technology goods, textiles, general merchandise and auto parts. The Georgian Airways belly takes general cargo, electronic components, trade samples and high-value small pieces. Restricted goods such as lithium batteries, magnetic items, liquids and powders need the relevant test reports at the booking stage. Out-of-gauge or overweight project equipment must be submitted at least two weeks ahead so the carrier can assess whether it fits the hold.
In the summer timetable Georgian Airways serves Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, Munich, Berlin, Milan, Larnaca and other European points from Tbilisi, and operates a daily direct service to Tel Aviv. After international cargo is cleared and picked up at Tbilisi it can usually move on the same or the next day into a Georgian Airways belly flight to the final station. The actual connection time depends on the long-haul carrier's arrival time and on how quickly customs inspection is completed.
Shippers should send the booking request seven to ten days before the planned departure. We return capacity checks and quotations within one to two working days of receiving the details. The documentation cut-off is usually 24 to 36 hours before departure, and the cargo must be at the airport cargo terminal or our bonded facility by then. After departure we send waybill updates, and the local agent handles the connection and distribution when the cargo reaches Tbilisi. For clients with stable monthly volumes we can set up a weekly capacity reservation to reduce the uncertainty of spot booking.
As a regional carrier that grew up in the Caucasus, Georgian Airways acts as a bridge between long-haul intercontinental routes and local distribution networks in the European and Middle East air markets. For Chinese shippers, knowing where the Georgian Airways network ends and how interline routings work is part of planning exports from China to the Caucasus, and a practical basis for developing Black Sea and Central Asian markets. We support Chinese shippers with Caucasus-bound volumes through the whole job, including rate options, documentation and tracking of exceptions.
Routes, schedules, aircraft types and payload figures are given for reference only. The carrier's official notices for Georgian Airways and confirmation on the day of booking govern.
Operations and agency enquiries: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, website https://goodhope86.com, email info@goodhope86.com
The Georgian Airways name, logo and related trademarks belong to Georgian Airways. The material was prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited to describe cargo services for shipments originating in China.