Dushanbe. November 22. “Asia-Plus” – Establishment of bilateral air cooperation between Tajikistan and Ukraine were discussed at Nizom Hakimov, Tajik Transport Minister’s meeting with Ukrainian Ambassador to Tajikistan Victor Nikityuk.
Ukrainian diplomat promised to contribute to provision of financial and technical support to Tajikistan’s air sector, Tajik Transport Ministry told AP. “If you have any difficulties in air transportation sector, we will try to provide financial and technical support,” Mr.Nikityuk has said. “Additionally, we are open for cooperation in other spheres.”
Mr.Hakimov said that major problem of Tajikistan’s air transportation sector is further existence of the only state-owned air company, TajikAir. “The company needs to renew its fleet,” he said, expressing hope for close cooperation in the given direction.
In his previous reports Tajik Transport Minister expressed similar concerns regarding the country’s air transportation sector and operation of national air companies.
Last month Nizom Hakimov noted that in many cases passengers express their indignation over the work and services provided by national air companies.
Minister stressed that 1.110 delays of various flights were registered in different national airports in the past nine months this year. “These figures need further analysis, but we are not happy with them,” he said.
National companies were criticized by Muhammad Habibov, head of the Tajik President’s Office for Transport and Communication. “The number of flight delays is growing. There were cases when passengers waited for their flight for the whole day or night and had to stay in airport,” he said, adding that “the delays were registered in all airlines.”
Furthermore, Habibov expressed his concern over safety of flights, monotonous nutrition and its quality.
At the same time, earlier this month Muzaffar Isokov, Director General of TajikAir company, was replaced by former deputy transport minister Firuz Hamroev, who was responsible for aviation sector.
Currently, TajikAir’s fleet consists of 36 airplanes, 15 of which perform flights (one Boeing 757-200, two Boeings 737-500, one Boeing 737-300, two Tu-154M, one An-24, one An-26, two An-28, one Yak-40, one Ma-60 and three helicopters Mi-8MTV). Other planes (21) do not perform flights.
The company is planning to purchase new Western equipment and machinery.
According to Tajik Ministry of Transport, apart from the state-owned air company, there are three private air companies operating in the republic at the moment. They all have a total of 73 airplanes.
