YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—Armenia’s Zvartnots Airport officials denied Wednesday reports that Turkish Airlines is planning to open offices in Yerevan and initiate flights from the Armenian capital to Los Angeles.

Spokesperson for the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia, Nelly Chercheryan, told PanArmenian.net news agency that the information is false.

The Zvartnots press service said that the airport did not have information on the establishment of a Turkish Airlines office in Armenia.

The Istanbul-based Hurriyet Daily News reported about the Turkish Airlines office opening in Yerevan, quoting its chairman Hamdi Topcu.

According to Hurriyet, Topcu met with what the paper called “representatives of the Armenian community,” while he was in Los Angeles last week to unveil the flights and the advertising campaign featuring Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

“Majority of Armenians residing in the US have come here from Armenia and want to see their homeland,” Topcu was quoted by Hurriyet as saying.
Topcu also told Hurriyet will also transport cheese to Los Angeles-Armenians and added that “We also want to employ Armenians.”

Last year, Turkish Airlines announced that it has signed a multi-million dollar contract with Bryant to be the company’s ambassador. This sparked the outrage of the Armenian-American community and prompted the Armenian Youth Federation to launch a campaign urging Bryant to donate his earnings to charity.