Some domestic and international flights continue to operate out of the facility but it needs significant upgrades for major foreign airlines to restart full service
PRAVASISAMWAD.COM
A United Arab Emirates company, GAAC, has signed a contract with the Taliban authorities to provide ground handling services at Afghanistan’s three airports, reported AFP.
The only airport at Kabul, the capital, was virtually trashed in August when thousands rushed to evacuate as the US-led forces withdrew. Some domestic and international flights continue to operate out of the facility but it needs significant upgrades for major foreign airlines to restart full service.
No country has formally recognised the Taliban government, reported AFP. GAAC, which was previously operating in Afghanistan, signed a new 18-month contract covering three airports: Kabul, Kandahar and Herat.
A Qatar-Turkey consortium has been talking with the aviation ministry for quite some time for operating the airports at Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Khost. But the talks have not progress as the Taliban insisted its fighters would guard the facilities
“The current contract is only for offering ground handling services,” Hameedullah Akhundzada, Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation said at a press conference. GAAC has provided these services at Kabul airport since November 2020, and played a key role in rehabilitating the facility in August “We are not a new face here,” Ibrahim Morafi, Regional Director of GAAC, told AFP. “But GAAC signing the new contract will give confidence to international airlines to resume flights to Afghanistan,” he said.
A Qatar-Turkey consortium has been talking with the aviation ministry for quite some time for operating the airports at Kabul, Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif and Khost. But the talks have not progress as the Taliban insisted its fighters would guard the facilities.
Two Afghan airlines, Kam Air and Ariana Afghan, fly to Dubai, Doha, Islamabad, and
Tehran from Kabul airport. Iran’s Mahan Air also operates flights to Kabul.
*************************************************************
Readers
These are extraordinary times. All of us have to rely on high-impact, trustworthy journalism. And this is especially true of the Indian Diaspora. Members of the Indian community overseas cannot be fed with inaccurate news.
Pravasi Samwad is a venture that has no shareholders. It is the result of an impassioned initiative of a handful of Indian journalists spread around the world. We have taken the small step forward with the pledge to provide news with accuracy, free from political and commercial influence. Our aim is to keep you, our readers, informed about developments at ‘home’ and across the world that affect you.
Please help us to keep our journalism independent and free.
In these difficult times, to run a news website requires finances. While every contribution, big or small, will makes a difference, we request our readers to put us in touch with advertisers worldwide. It will be a great help.
For more information: pravasisamwad00@gmail.com