FlyDubai restores flights to Afghanistan after a two-year hiatus

ISLAMABAD: FlyDubai has resumed flights to Kabul’s international airport, marking the airline’s return to Afghanistan in two years. FlyDubai had halted the flights following the Taliban’s takeover in mid-August 2021.

The political shift had prompted a suspension of services by all international airlines as US and NATO forces concluded their two-decade-long military involvement.

On Wednesday, a FlyDubai flight, based in the United Arab Emirates and affiliated with the renowned Emirates airline, successfully landed in Kabul. The airline now plans to operate two daily flights to and from the Afghan capital.

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Officials from the Taliban’s ruling regime, including the Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar, expressed their approval of FlyDubai’s decision to resume services. In an official statement, they characterised the move as an “indicator of the restoration of Afghanistan’s airspace to a secure and conventional state, accommodating various types of flights.” Despite this, many Western carriers continue to avoid flying over Afghan airspace due to ongoing security concerns.

The statement further asserted, “It shows that all airports in Afghanistan are now equipped to deliver requisite facilities and adhere to standard services.” Notably, FlyDubai refrained from commenting on specific security considerations, instead referring to a previous October statement announcing the planned resumption of flights.

Last year, the Taliban signed an agreement allowing a company based in the United Arab Emirates to manage three key airports in Afghanistan, including those in Herat, Kabul, and Kandahar. Under this arrangement, the Abu Dhabi-based firm GAAC Solutions assumed responsibility for airport management.

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In Kabul, two Afghan airlines, Kam Air and Ariana Afghan Airlines, have continued operations, connecting the city to various destinations such as Dubai, Moscow, Islamabad, and Istanbul.

The resumption of FlyDubai flights coincides with the presence of Afghanistan’s Taliban envoy to the UAE, Badruddin Haqqani, at the Dubai Air Show. Haqqani, who recently assumed the position in Abu Dhabi, inspected an Airbus A380 during the event.

The UAE, traditionally aligned with the US, has hosted Afghan diplomatic posts for years, accommodating both the Taliban and the previous Western-backed government. The resumption of flights signals a potential reintegration of Afghanistan into the international air travel network after a prolonged hiatus.