DUSHANBE, July 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Activity of Tajik state air carrier, TajikAir, in the first half-year of 2008 has been characterized by a positive dynamic, growth in main production inductors and improvement of quality of work, Firouz Hamroyev, the first deputy director general of TajikAir, remarked at a press conference in Dushanbe on July 22. 

According to him, more than 650,000 passengers have been carried by planes over the report period, which is 27 percent more than in the same period of last.  “Of them, 303,800 passengers have been carried by TajikAir, 41,900 by Somon Air and 304,400 by air carriers of other countries,” Hamroyev said, noting that increase in the passenger traffic has resulted form use Western type aircraft, improvement of efficiency of TU-154s as well increase in the number of flights on all routes.

“At present, 25 air companies of Tajikistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, China, Iran and Turkey are operating on the market of air services in the country, the TajikAir official said.

Speaking to reporters, Hamroyev noted that they pay a special attention to training of personnel for operating Western type planes. 

“Thus, two crews of our company are currently taking training course in the United States and one crew is making preparations for flight training,” said the deputy director general, “We have also signed an agreement on training of 16 pilots, 24 technical personnel and two stewards in China.” 

During the press conference, it was noted that the number of flights from Dushanbe to Tehran will increase starting from July 29.  The flight Dushanbe-Tehran will be operated twice a week: on Tuesdays and Saturdays.