Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 7 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmen aviation operating Il-76 transport aircraft have opened a new regular route carrying commercial cargo from Europe to Ashgabat, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported.
The Turkmenistan Company delivers dozens of tons of different types of equipment, consumer goods, construction materials and other goods from different companies as well as the ministries and institutions of the country from Brno-Turany Airport (Czech Republic) to Ashgabat on a weekly basis, the article says.
Previously IL-76 operated scheduled flights with cargo on board only to Istanbul and Abu Dhabi.
Turkmenistan has long been exploiting one of the best commercial aircraft in the world. The first flight of the IL-76 in Turkmenistan was operated on April 19, 1993 on the Ashgabat-Turkmenistan-Brest route.
This aircraft regularly performs large numbers of flights to deliver consumer goods, a variety of equipment, appliances and building materials to the country. IL-76 has operated scheduled and charter air flights.
The geography of cargo flights is widening year on year. Pilots fly charter flights to Urumqi (China), Vatra (France), Singapore, Venice (Italy), Medan (Indonesia), Valletta (Malta) and other cities in Europe and Asia.
The Neutral Turkmenistan says Turkmen pilots were actively involved in the delivery of humanitarian supplies to disaster areas.
For example, at the request of the Government of India, their crews transported medical supplies and foodstuffs to the victims of the earthquake in Ahmedabad (Bhudzherat state). Several flights were operated from Europe and India to the earthquake zone to deliver humanitarian aid and mobile hospitals. The IL-76 has carried out hundreds of flights to airports in Afghanistan - Kabul, Bagram, Kandahar, Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif.