Russia’s federal air transport agency has reportedly approved flight schedule for Tajik air carriers only the period until November 8
The Civil Aviation Department at the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan has released a statement regarding airport dispute between Tajikistan and Russia.
The statement, in particular, notes that in accordance with a government-to-government agreement between Tajikistan and Russia on mutual flights of September 12, 1997, Tajikistan’s air carriers Tajik Air and Somon Air and Russia’s air carrier Utair Aviation operate flights on the air route Dushanbe-Moscow-Dushanbe. Tajik Air and Somon Air operate seven flights per week each and Utair Aviation operates 14 flights per week.
On the air route Khujand-Moscow-Khujand, Somon Air operates three flights per week, Tajik Air operates 4 flights per week and Russian air carrier S7 Airlines operates seven flights per week.
The statement also notes that the Tajik side considers the article “Tadzhikistan Mozhet ne Vzletet” (Tajikistan Can Fail to Take Off) posted on Kommersant’s website as provocation.
Concerning operation of flights from Zhukovsky International Airport to Dushanbe and Khujand, Tajik Civil Aviation Department notes that those routes are new and Tajik and Russian civil aviation authorities “have not yet carried out procedures for making agreement on exploitation of those air routes.”
“In this connection, Tajik civil aviation authorities have not issued an exploitation permit for operation of flights on these air routes for the purpose of keeping parity,” said the statement.
The statement also notes that Tajik civil aviation authorities have sent a letter to Russia’s federal air transport agency proposing to conduct bilateral consultations in Dushanbe on November 24.
Russia yesterday warned that a dispute between Moscow and Dushanbe over the status of Russia’s Zhukovsky International Airport may lead to the suspension of all flights to Tajikistan.
Russia's Transport Ministry said on November 3 that it would suspend flights to Tajikistan from November 8 unless Tajik aviation authorities change their position on Zhukovsky International Airport near Moscow.
Meanwhile, Dushanbe has called for a revision of existing bilateral agreements on mutual air flights, saying that Zhukovsky is Moscow’s fourth international airport and that it has increased the number of flights from Moscow to Tajikistan.
Russian Transport Ministry officials, however, insist that the Zhukovsky airport is not under Moscow’s authority but of the town of Ramenskoye.
