Tajik national air carrier Tajik Air has reportedly sent its staff members on leave without pay. At the same time, the company denies rumors that its staff members have allegedly not received salaries for several months as baseless.
“Tajik Air has made a decision to send its staff members on leave without pay for the purpose of optimizing expenditures in these challenging times for the company,” Aziz Khairulloyev, a spokesman for Tajik Air, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, cardinal changes are expected to take place in Tajik Air’s activities in the near future and the staff members will be returned as the situation in the company improves.
The company’s wage debts are not so large and all rumors that its staff members have allegedly not received salaries for several months are absolutely unfounded, Khairulloyev added.
A special commission, led by Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda, has reportedly been set up to assess the situation, review Tajik Air’s financial activities and determine the further fate of the company.
Recall, Tajikistan’s privately-owned air carrier Somon Air now operates some flights that had previously been operated by Tajik Air.
Tajik national air carrier noted on January 3 that it has been forced to make changes to its winter flight schedule and suspend flights to the Russian Federation until the end of the winter period. Tajik Air’s press center said on January 3 that the company was forced to make changes to its winter flight schedule for commercial reasons (unprofitability of some flights).
The company started operations on September 3, 1924 as Tajik Aviation. Its first route was Bukhara to Dushanbe, served by Junkers F-13 aircraft. It is the sixth oldest airline still in operation.
Tajik Air now serves the following destinations: China (Urumqi); India (New Delhi); Iran (Tehran, Mashhad); Kazakhstan (Almaty); Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek); Russia (Moscow, Novosibirsk, St Petersburg, and Surgut); Tajikistan (Khorog and Khujand); and Uzbekistan (Samarqand).
The Tajik Air management is currently considering potential upgrade of its air fleet with aircraft of modern Western technology.
Until 2008, Tajik Air had an absolute monopoly in Tajikistan’s air transport, owning all planes, airports, and airport and flight services. As a result of restructuring, Tajik Air was split up into several separate companies.
