Turkmen airline to buy new Boeing aircraft
By Aynur Jafarova
Turkmenistan has decided to improve its international air transportation infrastructure as part of its national program on the development of civil aviation adopted in July 2012.
This week, the national air carrier Turkmen Hova Yollary (Turkmenistan Airlines) announced that it was seeking to purchase three new Boeing aircraft under this program. The new aircraft will enable the company to open new flights from Ashgabat to Paris and Milan, as well as connect Novosibirsk and other cities of Russia with the countries of East Asia.
Turkmen Hova Yollary owns over 20 comfortable passenger aircraft of Boeing, a major US manufacturer of commercial jetliners. Now more comfortable airplanes of the new generation, such as Boeing 737-700 and 737-800, will substitute Boeing 717-200, 737-300 and 757-200.
The deal will be a significant step in the development of air travel, as the aircraft of this type may accommodate over 300 passengers and have a flight range from 9,100 to 17,500 kilometers.
The company will start using these aircraft in the first half of 2014. Furthermore, the number of such aircraft is planned to be brought to 39 in the coming years. Turkmenistan Airlines currently carries out flights to 15 cities in 11 countries.
Moreover, Turkmenistan plans to construct several airports to improve cargo and passenger transportation.
Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reports that construction of a major airport complex in Ashgabat is to be launched next year. The construction of the airport complex -- the largest in Central Asia -- is to be completed in 2017.
The airport construction project, developed by the Turkish company Polimeks, envisages building a terminal with separate VIP accommodation with capacity to serve 1,600 passengers per hour, as well as a cargo terminal. Also, a 3,800 meter runway and terrestrial infrastructure is to be reconstructed under the project.
Construction of another airport will be launched in Turkmenabat in 2013. The terminal will be able to serve up to 500 passengers per hour.
Under the project, Ukrainian company Altcom will build a 3,800
meter artificial runway and
a control tower. An automatic meteorological information system,
air navigation and lamp signaling equipment of leading companies
will be installed there.
A new airport in Atamurat, which will be capable of serving 100 passengers per hour, has been slated for construction this year. A new 3,800-meter runway and a dozen other airfield facilities will be built at Dashoguz airport.
Moreover, a new airport complex capable of serving up to 800 passengers per hour has already been put into operation in Turkmenbashi.