DUSHANBE , April 26, Asia-Plus -- Airport in Dushanbe does not meet present days’ requirements and norms, Hokimsho Tilloyev, Director General of Tajik State Air Company “Tojikiston”, remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on April 26.  

According to him, it is planned reconstruct the airport and construct a two-storied terminal in future.  He noted that national airline considered several variants of the construction, including the one with participation of commercial structures.  Tajik air carriers intends to announce a tender among entrepreneurs for working out and implementing this project.  

“The present lounges cannot seat a large number of passengers and therefore it has been made a decision to build new up-to-date lounge,” Tilloyev said, reminding that the Dushanbe airport’s runway was reconstructed and a new VIP-lounge and other facilities were put into operation last year.  

Tilloyev also noted that they planned to repair platform as well as hangars stopping places for planes.  The estimated budget for carrying out these works is some 20 million U.S. dollars, according to him.  

At present Tajik national air carrier has four Soviet-era TU-154Ms, one TU-154B, three TU-134s, three AN-24s, three AN-28s, two AN-26s and seven Yakovlev-40s as well as four helicopters.  

TU-154B will have outlived its service life by the beginning of the next year, according to the Tajik national airline head.  

In future, Tajik State Air Company “Tojikiston” intends to lease two relatively new Western aircraft.  The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has loaned Tajik air carrier US$5 million for this purpose.  Besides, entrepreneurs from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have expressed readiness to provide two aircraft with crews on the basis of leasing.

“We are currently considering several variants of leasing and intend to lease two aircraft – one Boeing and one Airbus,” Hokimsho Tilloyev said.