LONDON – The new Afghani Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation Authority said that it has come to an agreement to open up a new route from Kabul to the Qatari capital city, Doha.
The ministry said that there had been a mutual agreement between the Afghan and Qatar governments, and that based on that the Afghan and Qatari airlines are going to be flying the route.
“The Islamic Emirate and Qatar made an agreement to start flights between Kabul-Doha. The Ariana Afghan Airlines will conduct flights to Doha, and Qatar Airways will fly to Kabul,” said Imamuddin Ahmadi, a spokesman for the ministry.
“The start of flights from Qatar to Afghanistan and from Afghanistan to Qatar is a major step for Afghanistan aviation,” said Sayed Masoud, an economist.
The former head of the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA), Mohammad Qassim Wafayizada, said that the flights would benefit the people of Afghanistan as the prices would decrease.
“It can be effective as Afghanistan depends on its two main transit hubs like Turkey and the UAE for flights. Qatar Airways is a famous airline which is permitted to fly to 173 destinies,” he said.
Both countries have signed a bilateral agreement back in 2005, but thanks to the political instability in Afghanistan, no flights have taken place until now.
