Tajik Air, the national airline of Tajikistan, has officially acquired two planes from SkyRoad Leasing, ending a prolonged financial and legal conflict between the two parties. Tajik Air CEO Parviz Shodmonzoda announced this at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 23.
Shodmonzoda revealed that the two Boeing aircraft transferred to Tajikistan are operational but require repairs. He emphasized that resolving the dispute with SkyRoad Leasing was a significant achievement for the company, marking the most notable milestone in the last 15 years.
“If this issue had not been resolved, the company would have been unable to continue its flights. Settling the large debt with a foreign company is the first case of its kind in Tajikistan’s history and holds historical significance for the development of the country’s civil aviation,” said Shodmonzoda.
Following a settlement agreement signed on January 8, 2025, and approved by the Arbitration Court of Moscow on May 21, 2025, both parties reached mutual concessions. One of the key outcomes of the agreement was the removal of the arrest on a Boeing 737-300 aircraft that had been detained in 2019 and had been parked at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport. The plane will now be returned to Dushanbe.
Shodmonzoda explained that by early 2018, Tajik Air’s debt to UAB SkyRoad Leasing amounted to US$23 million. However, due to accrued interest and penalties, the debt increased to US$36.6 million by 2024. As part of the settlement, the debt was resolved, and SkyRoad Leasing dropped all claims, transferring two aircraft to Tajik Air’s ownership. These planes had not been in operation since 2013.
“A crucial point is that, after resolving the legal dispute and removing the arrest on the aircraft, Tajik Air is now debt-free with regard to UAB SkyRoad Leasing. This allows us to continue international flights without restrictions. This event opens up new opportunities for the airline, which is now resuming its operations on the international stage,” emphasized Shodmonzoda.
The company is also actively expanding its international ties. Tajik Air is in negotiations with AIR DYNAMICS SOLUTION (ADS) from the UAE regarding the leasing of aircraft and the establishment of a Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) center in Tajikistan.
Discussions are also underway about improving the qualifications of aviation personnel. Shodmonzoda met with Charbel Yozkatli, Vice President of Airbus, in Paris to discuss the acquisition of four aircraft through financial leasing.
90 flights in the first six months of 2025
Tajik Air also reported that, in the first six months of 2025, the airline operated 90 flights using its Antonov An-28 aircraft, transporting 2,763 passengers on domestic routes.
The airline has opened several new domestic routes, including:
- Dushanbe – Kulob – Dushanbe
- Dushanbe – Panjakent – Dushanbe
- Dushanbe – Rasht – Dushanbe
- Dushanbe – Khovaling – Dushanbe
- Dushanbe – Vanj – Dushanbe
In order to modernize its fleet for local flights and smoothly transition from the An-28 to the L-410 aircraft, Tajik Air is in talks with Artyom Movsesyan, Vice President of the Czech company Omnipol, regarding the acquisition of two L-410 aircraft.
This aircraft model, with 19 seats, is well-suited for local and regional flights to cities in neighboring countries such as Samarkand, Bukhara, Tashkent, Osh, and Shymkent. It can carry up to 2 tons of cargo and is also suitable for medical purposes, such as transporting bedridden patients. The L-410 has proven to be a reliable aircraft, already in use in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
