Flydubai’s return to Afghanistan fuels Taliban hopes for normalization

Kabul, Nov 15 (EFE).- The return of regular flights Wednesday to Afghanistan by the low-cost company Flydubai, from the United Arab Emirates, was welcomed with optimism by the Taliban as a sign of normalization since they seized control of the country in August 2021.

“The initiation of Flydubai flights to Kabul is indicative of the restoration of Afghanistan’s airspace to a secure and conventional state, accommodating various types of flights,” the office of the Deputy Economy Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar Akhund posted on social media platform X.

The company will operate regular flights from Dubai International Airport and the Taliban authorities expect direct flights to the Afghan provinces of Balkh and Kandahar to begin soon.

“This will open the way for other international airlines, and will create travel facilities, improvement in airline transport, the economy of the country, and will positively affect the ticket prices,” Aviation and Transport Ministry spokesperson Imam Uldin Ahmadi told EFE.

The return to power of the Taliban in August 2021 marked a complete disruption of regular air traffic, with priority given to evacuations that ended with the official withdrawal of international troops.

Since then, several airlines have resumed regular international flights such as Iran’s Taban, Mahan and Kish Air, while Afghanistan’s Kam Air and Ariana Afghan Airlines have been operating on domestic and international routes amid passengers’ complaints of high prices. EFE

lk-daa/sc