DUSHANBE, January 27, 2016, Asia-Plus – By government’s regulation Open Joint Stock Holding Company (OJSHC) Aviation Company of Tajikistan has been split up into two separate entities – Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) Tajik Air (Tajik national air carrier) and OJSC Dushanbe International Airport.

Government’s regulation on splitting Aviation Company of Tajikistan into two separate companies was issued on January 26, 2016.

Khairullo Rahimov was appointed director-general of Tajik Air and Ismatullo Abdullozoda was appointed to head Dushanbe International Airport.  

Aviation Company of Tajikistan existed for only half a year.

We will recall that the government initiated Tajik Air’s merger with Dushanbe International Airport in 2014.  The government issued an appropriate regulation on this subject on July 21, 2014.

Tajik Air, however, completed its merger with Dushanbe International Airport (DIA) in July 2015.  Together, the two entities were part of the newly formed Aviation Company of Tajikistan, headed by Rustam Kholiqov, who was director of Dushanbe International Airport (DIA).

The move was reportedly aimed at allowing Tajik Air to consolidate its position in the local and regional market in the face of increased competition from fellow CIS carriers.

Meanwhile, ch-aviation , an airline intelligence provider based in Chur, Switzerland, reported that Tajik government''s decision to centralize its aeronautical firms into one firm followed a disastrous decision in 2008 to spin off airport management and ground handling services from the airline''s control.  The resulting loss of market dominance almost resulted in Tajik Air''s demise.

Until 2008, Tajik Air had an absolute monopoly in Tajikistan’s air transport, owning all planes, airports, and airport and flight services.  As a result of restructuring, Tajik Air was split up into several separate companies.