Use of Afghan airspace by international airlines still low

KABUL (TOLOnews): After more than a year since the change of government in Afghanistan, international aircraft crossing Afghanistan airspace–which provides revenue to the government–is still low, according to officials.
The Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation said 70 to 90 aircraft cross Afghan airspace each 24 hours, which is much less than it was in the past.
The former deputy minister of transportation and civil aviation said that since foreign forces left Afghanistan, aviation companies do not trust Afghanistan airspace.
“International companies don’t consider themselves safe to cross Afghanistan airspace, on other side, air traffic coordination is minimal,” said Imam Mohammad Varimach, the former deputy minister of transportation and civil aviation.
“Various companies and countries especially cargo planes and big planes cross Afghanistan airspace,” said Ghulam Jailani Wafa, the operational deputy minister of transportation and civil aviation.
According to the contract with the UAE’s GAAC company, the company is obliged to purchase equipment and there is optimism that the average amount of aircraft crossing Afghan airspace will increase.
In addition, the ministry said that in the near future there will be a joint bank account for income from the use of Afghan airspace.
“Money will be in a joint bank account in the United Arab Emirates,” said the operational deputy minister of transportation and civil aviation.
Afghanistan makes $900 for every crossing of Afghan airspace, and GAAC has pledged that the use of Afghan airspace will increase soon.