Dawn of the Afghan airline

East Horizon Airlines is the first Afghan-owned airline to be certified under the new Afghan Civil Aviation Regulation, which was developed in 2010 by the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation in conjunction with the ICAO and the FAA.

Founded three years ago, the airline is preparing to commence its services with its mission to connect all major transit points throughout Afghanistan.

“Through our hub in Kabul, we can connect these destinations with regional and international airlines,” said newly-appointed CEO, Captain Jahed Azimi.

Azimi was formerly president of Ariana Afghan Airlines and domestic carrier Kam Air and he believes he is the right man for the job.

“I have been in the aviation industry all of my adult life; I have reached over 20,000 flying hours and was selected as an astronaut candidate for the joint space exploration programme of Afghanistan and Russia,” he said. “I have more than 30 years in the military and commercial aviation sector, I was deputy minister of transport and civil aviation and I have worked at a senior management level in a number of airlines, such as Ariana Afghan Airlines, Pamir Airways and Kam Air.

“Being at the helm of East Horizon Airlines, I feel it is my patriotic duty to support the countries, organisations and business companies that are engaged in providing peace, progress and the future for our nation.”

The new airline is staffed by a team of internationally-trained pilots and ground crew comprising Afghan nationals and a team of international specialists.

The airline’s fleet consists of three aircraft (HS748 & B737) with a fourth one to follow. The lease/purchase and documentation work for registry are under process and operations were scheduled at the end of 2011.

For the moment, the airline will serve Afghanistan with domestic connections to cities such as Bamiyan, Chaghcharan, Lashkar Gah, Herat, Kunduz, Farah, Khost and Fayzabad.

“We will be facilitating the domestic travel of our Afghan nationals but we also intend to serve foreign companies which are also actively engaged in re-development plans for the country,” said Azimi.

Private airline Safi Airways suffered problems with blacklisting over security but Azimi said East Horizon has not encountered such problems: “The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation experts are continuously reviewing safety standards. Rules, regulations, circulars and directives will support not only Afghan carriers, but also all those who use the country’s airports. The Afghan government is supporting and promoting the private sector, which is one of its main objectives. The government is very keen to facilitate our operation.”

The thought of flying into Kabul International Airport might be concerning for many a passenger but Azimi is keen to point out that the airport has a good infrastructure and pilots feel as safe landing at Kabul as they do in any other city in the world.
Azimi said: “Our prime flight operating base is Kabul International Airport. Major carriers operate daily from there and category one airlines operate following their safety standards and regulations. Every airport in Afghanistan is upgraded regularly and complies with international safety and security standards.”

With the global recession weighing heavily on the aviation industry, where can Azimi see East Horizon Airways in the next five years?

“With the global recession comes challenges, especially for Afghan private airlines,” he said. “Unlike the other carriers, our prime focus is to facilitate domestic air links between each and every city. For the next decade the connection will stay by air, as the country develops its ground infrastructure to make the movement of various forms of transportation safe. Our air service will provide a connection to remote areas, where the demand is high but yet no passenger and cargo operation has been offered. Within five years, we hope to provide a safe, regular and reliable air service for passengers and cargo between Afghanistan’s major cities.”