Cargo airlines key to rebuilding Afghanistan
Cargo airlines will play an increasingly important role in the redevelopment and reconstruction of Afghanistan as the US military pulls out of the country over the next three years, says Peter Donlevy, CEO, East Horizon Airlines.
Speaking at last week’s Afghanistan Air Cargo and Logistics Conference in Dubai, Donlevy claimed, “The key to the organic growth of Afghanistan is to build commerce, and cargo flights are a major way of doing this. There will be a sustained demand for cargo to move around Afghanistan as the military withdrawal takes effect.”
Serving as a panelist during the conference presentation, ‘Prospects for the Airline Industry in Afghanistan’, Donlevy discussed the role that transportation of air cargo is playing in boosting the domestic economy and aiding the rebuilding efforts, not only to the main airports but also to the more remote locations of Afghanistan.
“As the stability of Afghanistan continues to improve, more and more commercial opportunities will open up within the country. Having access to reliable, efficient cargo carriers is crucial to rebuilding this trade, and our new fleet of versatile aircraft provides that,” he said.
“We have the ability to load and unload cargo in most locations, with our aircraft enabling us to get into unimproved areas that are inaccessible to other aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus,” he added. “This will make it possible to get equipment, goods and humanitarian supplies to their ultimate destinations across Afghanistan more quickly, safely and reliably than ever before.”
According to Donlevy, it is important for companies in Afghanistan to have a presence on the ground, partnering with locals and contributing more directly to the local economy, which is why each western employee within East Horizon Airlines is paired with an Afghan employee so that western expertise and local knowledge are shared.
“An Afghan company is one that lives, breathes and works in Afghanistan – not one based in another country which visits from time to time. We live and work in Afghanistan and are committed to being part of its new aviation sector.”
East Horizon Airlines is the first Afghan airline certified under the new internationally-compliant Afghanistan aviation standards. Having already taken delivery of its first aircraft, it is now preparing its first official cargo flights within Afghanistan.
“As the first airline designed from the ground up to comply with the new internationally-recognized Afghanistan civil aviation regulations, East Horizon Airlines is uniquely positioned to lead the way as a new Afghan aviation industry emerges”.
East Horizon will have a fleet of five aircraft in operation by the end of the year, with further expansion planned for the next two to three years as market demand dictates.
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