DUSHANBE, June 2, 2009, Asia-Plus — The first flight on the air route from Riga, Latvia to Dushanbe was operated by the Latvian air carrier, airBaltic, today morning.
An official presentation of a new air route connecting Tajikistan and Latvia has been held today. Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Ms. Nazira Davlatova, a spokeswoman for Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, said that flights on this route would be operated by airBaltic and Somoni Air.
Somon Air is an airline based in Dushanbe. It is Tajikistan’s first private air carrier. Somon Air was granted an operating license and aviation operator certificate in 2006. As of January 16, 2009, the Somon Air fleet included Boeing 737-400 (which is operated by East Air) and Boeing 737-800.
AIR BALTIC CORPORATION (airBaltic) is a stock company that was established in 1995. Major shareholders include the Latvian state, with 52.6% of shares, and Baltijas Aviacijas Sistemas SIA, with 47.2% of shares. Currently, airBaltic operates direct flights out of two Baltic State capitals – Riga, Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania. The company’s fleet currently consists of 28 aircraft – 2 Boeing 757-200, 10 Boeing 737-500s, 6 Boeing 737-300 and 10 Fokker-50s.
Meanwhile, Ms. Davlatova added that Tajik Air would open new air routes to the Russian Federation in the near future. According to her, the first flight from Dushanbe to Sochi will be operated on June 11 and the first flight from Dushanbe to Irkutsk will be operated on June 12. Being 757-200 and Boeing 737-200 will be used for operating these flights, she said.
