DUSHANBE, January 21, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik national air carrier, Tajik Air, has reportedly suspended four unprofitable international flights.

In a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Tajik Air director-general, Firouz Hamroyev, revealed on January 21 that Tajik Air last year suspended international flights from Dushanbe to Islamabad (Pakistan), Baku (Azerbaijan), New Delhi (India), and Dubai (United Arab Emirates).  The flights were suspended because of low passenger traffic, he noted.

“Tajik Air accounted for only 20.6 percent of the overall volume of air carriages conduced in the country last year, 7.7 percent lower than in 2011,” Hamroyev said.

“In 2012, Tajik Air carried 422,300 passengers, which was 48,900 people fewer than in 2011,” noted the director general.  “All this has seriously affected the financial situation of the company.”

Last year, the company reportedly spent 23.5 million somoni for maintenance of its aircraft.  “Tajik Air’s fleet includes 36 aircraft but only 12 of them are currently operated,” Hamroyev added.