Civil Aviation - The Times Of Central Asia

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Kyrgyzstan’s Airlines Could Be Removed from EU Blacklist in 2025

Kyrgyzstan’s airlines may soon achieve a significant milestone by being removed from the European Union’s Air Safety List, which currently bans them from operating flights to Europe. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov made this announcement on November 27 during a meeting in Berlin with Johan Pelissier, the head of Airbus Europe, where they discussed the future of Kyrgyzstan’s aviation sector. Japarov emphasized the government’s concerted efforts to enhance aviation safety, implement international standards, and modernize infrastructure. He expressed optimism that these measures have significantly improved the likelihood of lifting restrictions on Kyrgyz airlines. As part of these developments, Japarov highlighted the government’s support for the national carrier, Asman Airlines. Under an initial agreement with Airbus, the airline plans to lease two A320 or A321 aircraft to establish direct routes to Europe, including destinations such as Paris, Berlin, and London. This initiative marks a critical step toward integrating Kyrgyzstan into the global aviation network. Looking ahead, Kyrgyzstan aims to expand its fleet and deepen cooperation with Airbus, fostering stronger connections with the international aviation community. At the conclusion of the meeting, Japarov extended an invitation to Pelissier to visit Kyrgyzstan for further discussions with local aviation representatives. Background: A Longstanding Ban Kyrgyz airlines was added to the EU’s Air Safety List in 2006 after failing to meet international safety standards. This decision, based on assessments that the country’s legal framework did not adequately ensure flight safety, has prohibited Kyrgyz airlines from flying to EU destinations for over 18 years. The ban has had a profound impact on the aviation sector, limiting its operational scope and market reach. Efforts to address these shortcomings represent a turning point, with the potential removal from the blacklist signaling a new chapter for Kyrgyz aviation. If successful, this move could open up significant opportunities for growth and international collaboration.

Transport and Logistics Transportation public transport Railway stations Trains Civil Aviation

Kazakh National Rail Service Eyes Move to Hub Model for Integrated Passenger Transport

Kazakhstan's national rail carrier, Passenger Transportation JSC, plans to revamp the railway's passenger transport division to cut its losses and meet the demand for transportation services. In order to do so, it is developing a project using the so-called hub model. The hub system involves organizing passenger transport around connections of mainline and regional services in transport hubs. Each transport hub will connect not only trains but also other modes of transport, thus realizing a no less important project - intermodal passenger transportation. The hub system aims to ensure rail passenger transport's competitiveness and reduce operating costs, while contributing to environmental goals by encouraging people to choose public transport over private. The hub model for passenger transport is being implemented via a cooperation framework between Passenger Transportation JSC and consultants from Germany's DB Engineering & Consulting GmbH. To better understand how this project will be implemented, The Times of Central Asia spoke with the executive director of the intermodal transportation project at Passenger Transportation JSC, Zhambul Baideldinov, and the director of intermodal transportation of DB Engineering & Consulting, Nikolai Sidorvs. According to Baideldinov, the hub model of passenger transport in Kazakhstan is aimed at creating convenient, rapid transport links between the hubs of Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent, as well as regional transfer points. Such a model aims to develop hubs where passengers can comfortably transfer from one mode of transport to another, including rail and road and, in the future, air transport. “Successful implementation of the project will allow us to solve the problem of seasonal shortages of seats in passenger trains, as well as expand the range of services provided,” explained Baideldinov. According to Sidorvs, the regions and cities that will host the transport hubs were selected on the basis of several key factors. First, the geographical significance and the city's role as a logistics center linking major traffic flows were considered. Second, current passenger traffic volumes and their future growth potential were analyzed. Priority was also given to cities with developed transport infrastructure that would allow for effective integration of different modes of transport. “In the initial stage, the plan calls for creating a hub at the Nurly Zhol railway station in Astana. At subsequent stages, other hubs will be established in the cities of Shymkent, Semey, and Almaty,” explained Sidorvs. The Nurly Zhol complex in the capital is expected to become an example for further projects. Plans also call for modernizing transport infrastructure to create efficient and convenient transfer hubs in different regions of Kazakhstan. In addition to large hubs, such as Nurly Zhol, the establishment of regional hubs is planned. Passenger Transportation JSC is currently setting up programs to develop regional transfer points. Within the framework of these initiatives, the national passenger carrier is also working closely with government agencies and local government leaders, making it possible to combine efforts and attract additional resources. “A pilot project for intermodal transportation has already been implemented by the company. Passengers who purchase travel tickets for a number of...

Aviation Air Transport Regional Cooperation Civil Aviation

Regional Civil Aviation Organization Established for the First Time in Central Asia

The Eurasian Civil Aviation Conference (EACAC) has held its first meeting in Almaty, with the participation of the aviation authorities from participating countries. The meeting included participants from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, who discussed joint initiatives to strengthen cooperation in flight safety and sustainable aviation development. Representatives from Mongolia also participated as observers. Opening the event, Vice Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, Talgat Lastayev, noted that EACAC will become a platform to share experiences and address issues related to future challenges in civil aviation. During the meeting, a declaration on the establishment of EACAC was signed, and the document was certified by the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee, Saltanat Tompieva, from Kazakhstan. EACAC will allow for the consolidated expression of positions within the framework of interactions with such institutions as the ICAO, the European Commission, IATA, and other international organizations. Katalin Radu, Director General of the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan, stressed that the new organization would ensure unity in the positions of member countries in the international aviation arena and strengthen cooperation with such associations as ACAO, AFCAC, ECAC, and LACAC. Key tasks of EACAC include the coordination of regional efforts in aviation security, creating common standards, developing unmanned aviation, and training personnel. The initiative was first announced in May 2023 during Kazakhstan's first Aviation Dialogue, “Energy Transition for Sustainable Development and Realization of Central Asia's Transit Potential.” In April 2024, the project was presented during the Directors General of Civil Aviation meeting of the European and North Atlantic Bureau of ICAO (EURNAT-DGCA) in Toulouse, France.

South Korea Air Transport Bilateral Cooperation Civil Aviation international tourism

Uzbekistan and South Korea Increase Flights Between Countries

During talks in Seoul this week, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport and South Korea’s civil aviation authority reached agreements to increase the number of regular flights between Uzbekistan and South Korea from the current 10 to 24 per week for airlines of each country, raising the total weekly number of flights to 48. According to the Uzbek ministry, airlines of both countries will operate up to 12 weekly flights between Tashkent and Seoul and up to four flights from South Korea’s regions to Tashkent. Up to four flights per week will be performed from Uzbekistan’s regions to Seoul, and there will be up to four weekly flights between Uzbekistan's regions and other South Korean cities. An agreement was also reached on the bilateral use of the Open Skies regime at the international airport of Jeju, the second-largest airport in South Korea, and Uzbekistan’s Samarkand airport for airlines of both countries. From the Uzbek side, flights between the two countries will be operated by the national air carrier, Uzbekistan Airways, and new airlines created by Uzbekistan — Qanot Sharq, My Freighter, and Air Samarkand. According to the Uzbek ministry, these agreements will help develop trade and economic relations between the two countries, increase bilateral passenger and cargo turnover, and attract Korean tourists to the historical cities of Uzbekistan. The Times of Central Asia earlier reported that South Korea is one of the most popular destinations for Uzbeks, both for work and studies. The Uzbeks occupy fifth place by size of the foreign diaspora in the country and number more than 69,000. In recent years, the government of Uzbekistan has established regulations for legal and safe labor migration to South Korea. At the start of 2024, the government announced its intention to attract 100,000 Uzbeks to work in South Korea.

China Air Transport Civil Aviation New flights

Uzbekistan and China to Increase Flights Between Their Cities

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport has agreed with China Southern Airlines to increase the frequency of flights on the Beijing-Tashkent route from four to seven per week, and on the Urumqi (Xinjiang)-Tashkent route from three to four per week. They also agreed to launch three weekly flights on the Guangzhou-Urumqi-Tashkent route in 2025. At the last C5+1 China-Central Asia Civil Aviation Conference, held in Xi'an in June, Uzbekistan and China agreed to increase the number of flights between the two countries and open new air corridors. Four airlines from Uzbekistan were assigned 58 regular flights per week to transport passengers from the international airports of Tashkent and Samarkand to 12 Chinese cities. Currently, the Uzbek airlines Qanot Sharq, Centrum Air, and Air Samarkand are working to meet the certification requirements of the Chinese aviation administration so that they can begin regular flights to China. At the moment, nine Uzbek and Chinese airlines operate 63 regular flights per week to 16 destinations in both countries, including 21 flights for passengers and 42 for cargo.

Industry Aviation Air Transport Civil Aviation Helicopters

Kyrgyzstan to Begin Manufacturing Helicopters

Daiyrbek Orunbekov, Head of the Information Policy Service of the Kyrgyz Presidential Administration, stated on his Facebook page that Kyrgyzstan has begun production on ultralight small-size two-seat helicopters. Describing the helicopter, he wrote: “It is a two-seater, can hold 70 liters of fuel, and flies 600 kilometers in 3 hours; pricing starts at around 60 thousand dollars." He also added that automobile, helicopter, and other manufacturing plants would soon be opening in the country. The production of helicopters in Kyrgyzstan, assembled from components supplies by Poland, is the country's first foray into the market. The helicopters can be used for various tasks, from pilot training and aerial photography to police patrols, power line control, medical personnel transport, and aerial agricultural work, and according to Orunbekov, interest has already been expressed by UAE companies in the test models. The Times of Central Asia previously reported that the German company "Linding Group" plans to invest some 10 million dollars in assembling aircraft in Almaty, Kazakhstan.