DUSHANBE, July 18, 2013, Asia-Plus -- Issues related to seeking solution to financial and economic problems facing Tajikistan national air carrier and repeated sowing campaign were discussed at a July 18 meeting of the government, presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, the Tajik president’s official website reports.

The meeting participants included senior representatives of the government and president’s executive office, heads of relevant ministries and organizations and heads of Dushanbe’s districts and districts adjoining Dushanbe.    

The first deputy minister of transport, heads of air companies and Dushanbe International Airport delivered reports.  According them, domestic air carriers now account for only 47 percent of all air passenger carriages.

Speaking at the meeting, President Emomali Rahmon ordered relevant government bodies to take necessary measures to solve problems facing the national air carrier.    

Tajik Air (Tajikistan Airlines) is the national airline of Tajikistan.  The airline has its main hub at the Dushanbe airport, and it retains a secondary focus point at the Khujand airport.

The company started operations on September 3, 1924 as Tajik Aviation. Its first route was Bukhara to Dushanbe, served by Junkers F-13 aircraft.  It is the sixth oldest airline still in operation.

Tajik Air now serves the following destinations: China (Urumqi); Iran (Tehran, Mashhad); Kazakhstan (Almaty); Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek); Russia (Irkutsk, Moscow, Novosibirsk, St Petersburg, Samara, Sochi, Surgut, and Yekaterinburg); Tajikistan (Khorog and Khujand); and United Arab Emirates (Sharjah).