Dushanbe, Moscow finally reach agreement on operating mutual charter flights in November

Tajik and Russian civil aviation authorities have finally reached an agreement on operating mutual charter flights in November .   

Recall, citing a source within the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, said on November 1 that that the Russian sides had made it a condition that the majority of charter flights must be operated by Russian air companies.  

“Tajik companies have been put at a disadvantage.  The Russian side says more than 50 percent of charter flights should be operated by Russian airlines,” the source told Radio Ozodi.  

He further noted that “they were conducting negotiations with the Russian authorities on charter flights but failed to reach an agreement at the last moment.”  

Representatives of the Tajik civil aviation authorities said on November 2 that the negotiations were under way.

“We are currently conducting negotiations, clarifying all aspects and discussing the schedule of charter flights for November.  We hope to reach an agreement within the next few days and all will be well,” a source at the Civil Aviation Agency told Asia-Plus, noting that the exact date of resumption of regular flights between Tajikistan and Russia is still unknown.”

Director of the Civil Aviation Agency, Ikrom Subhonzoda, told Asia-Plus on November 3 that 5-6 charter flights are now operated from various regions of Russia to Tajikistan per day.    

According to him, Tajik civil aviation authorities coordinate the schedule of charter flights operated by Somon Air every three-four days.

“The Foreign Ministry of Tajikistan will publish the charter flight schedule for November within the next few days,” Subhonzoda said.   

Tajik MFA information department says the charter flight schedule for November has been sent for consideration to the Standing Committee on COVID-19 Response.

“We will publish it after approval by the Standing Committee on COVID-19 Response,” representative of Tajik MFA information department noted.      

As it had been reported earlier, six charter flights were operated from Russia to Tajikistan on Friday, October 30.  In accordance with the charter flight schedule, three flights were operated from Moscow and one flight from St Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Ufa.  

Besides, three charter flights were conducted from Moscow and one charter flight was conducted from Krasnoyarsk on October 31.  

All these flights have been coordinated with the Russian civil aviation authorities and it is still unknown whether regular flights between Tajikistan Russia will be resumed this year or not.  

Air traffic between Tajikistan and Russia has been suspended since March 20, 2020.  

Tajik authorities have suspended all international flights.  Tajikistan closed all its airports at midnight on March 19-20 due to the coronavirus concerns.  Only charters flights to repatriate Tajik nationals stranded in foreign countries due to the coronavirus crisis have been operated so far.

During the period from April through October, about 70,000 Tajik nationals were reportedly brought home by charter flights.          

In early August, Tajikistan resumed regular flights to Dubai.