Somon Air

Gulf-area majors and LCCs are expanding their CIS networks.

Tajiki carrier restores service from Dushanbe.

With the added range of the Boeing 737 MAX-8, nonstop routes to Seoul, Beijing and Shanghai are high on the Tajikistani carrier’s agenda.

The airline has restarted talks with Boeing about adding the MAX jet to its fleet to enable further network expansion.

Somon Air CEO Thomas Hallam wants to expand the Tajikistan airline’s network through codeshares and believes the Central Asia-India market is ripe for growth.

Widebody jets and 737 MAX are still in the picture as Somon Air aims to connect Central Asia's capitals, chief executive Thomas Hallam has revealed.

Kazakhstan needs to promote itself better as a tourist destination if it is to see serious growth in passenger numbers, delegates at Routes Silk Road 2019 have been told.

Routes Silk Road will bring together key decision makers from the region’s airlines, airports and tourism authorities for face-to-face meetings, networking opportunities and the Routes conference programme.

In the first part of a new series focusing on the five former Soviet republics in Central Asia, often referred to as ‘the Stans’, Routesonline takes a closer look at the aviation market in Tajikistan.

Somon Air has been challenging Tajikistan’s state-owned flag carrier since 2008 and is marking up sizeable successes.

China is setting out its stall for a $900bn investment programme to nurture new trade links between East and West. Routes News looks at the opportunities for air transport providers.