Kyrgyzstanfrom the Zhukovsky InternationalAirportnear Moscow until getting permission for flights to Tajikistan, Andrei Dubrov, Commercial Director, Yamal Airlines, informed TASS.
“It was decided to cancel flights to Kyrgyzstan from Zhukovsky, because Yamal Airlines has not yet received permission to fly to Tajikistan, and it does not make sense to keep the aircraft in Zhukovsky just for one flight to Kyrgyzstan”, Mr. Dubrov said.
According to Mr. Dubrov, Yamal Airlines will resume flights from Zhukovsky only after obtaining permission to fly to Tajikistan. “For a while, there have been no any movements, we sent all the documents to Dushanbe, Tajikistan, although one has scheduled to launch the flights since March 27, 2017. Once we get permission from Tajikistan, we will return to the schedule of Zhukovsky airport, as regards all destinations”, the Air Company’s Commercial Director said.
“We do not want to step on the same rakes for a second time, as the situation of December 2016 taught us, so the sale of air tickets for flights to Tajikistan does not begin without permission”, Mr. Dubrov added.
In August 2016, the airline received permission from the Russian Air Transport Association to operate international flights from Zhukovsky airport, including such destinations, as Vienna, Budapest, Munich, Plovdiv, Prague and Tbilisi, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (Osh and Bishkek) and Tajikistan (Dushanbe and Khujand). Since December 2016, flights to Oshand Bishkek have started, and the air authorities of Tajikistan refused to issue permit, although the tickets were sold.
The dispute over the status of Zhukovsky
Earlier, the Zhukovsky’s status also raised questions among Tajik air authorities.
The Tajik side did not agree on flights for Yamal Airlines from the Zhukovsky (due to start on December 20th), citing a violation of parity in the number of carriers on both sides. The Tajik air regulator lists the airport in Zhukovsky to the Moscowair hub. As a result, Yamal would become the second air company after Ural Airlines, which flies from Moscow to Tajikistan. In turn, the Russian Federationbanned Tajik Somon Air to operate its flights to Russian regions.
After several rounds of talks, the parties agreed that Yamal would start flights to Tajikistanfrom Zhukovsky in the summer of 2017 and restrictions on air communications were lifted.
Igor Shuvalov, First Deputy Prime Minister, Russia, also said that four airlines from Russiaand Tajikistanwill begin flights through Zhukovsky airport since the summer season of 2017, which lasts from March to October.
