Turkmenistan Airlines Increases International Flights

Turkmenistan Airlines is increasing the frequency of several international flights under a revised schedule that took effect on October 25. “Direct flights from the capital to Seoul will double from one to two flights per week. On the Italian route to Milan, flight frequency will increase from two to three flights per week,” the state-run Turkmenistan News Portal said before the new schedule took effect. “Regular flights on the Ashgabat–Kazan route will increase from four to six flights per week. Additionally, air service to Istanbul will be expanded, with total flight frequency reaching 13 flights per week compared to the previous 12,” the news site reported. It said the updated schedule, which includes return flights to Ashgabat International Airport, is aimed at meeting growing demand for air travel and is another step “in integrating the country's civil aviation infrastructure into the global transport network.” At the same time, the number of flights to New Delhi was scheduled to be reduced from three to two per week, according to Turkmen media. The flight frequency on other routes, including Beijing, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, London, and Frankfurt, is unchanged under the new schedule. Turkmenistan has invested in airport infrastructure and seeks to attract more international carriers. In August, Air Belgium made its first cargo flight to Ashgabat International Airport as Turkmenistan aims to establish itself as an air cargo hub between Asia and Europe. Elsewhere in Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have taken particularly robust steps to develop their international profiles in civil aviation. Early this month, the lower house of Tajikistan’s parliament ratified an air transport agreement between the Tajik government and the United Arab Emirates that would allow more flights between the two countries and help develop Tajikistan’s role in international aviation.