Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan restore air travel after 4-year pause

Earlier this year, the two countries signed a historic border agreement / Photo: Shutterstock, photo editor: Milosh Muratovskiy

Air travel between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan has resumed. The two countries had no air connection since May 2021, when a bloody armed conflict erupted at the state border.

The first airline to resume regular flights between the two capitals was Tajikistan’s Somon Air, whose aircraft arrived at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, from Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

«The regular frequency has been restored thanks to joint efforts and the personal support of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon,» emphasized Alena Khomenko, an official representative of Manas Airport.

The Somon Air aircraft is expected to fly back to Dushanbe on Tuesday, as reported by Azattyk.org. In the future, the airline plans to operate the Bishkek–Khujand–Bishkek route.

The restoration of air travel between the two Central Asian countries followed the signing of a border agreement by the two presidents. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan had struggled to settle the border dispute for more than 30 years, which sporadically caused brutal clashes.