Turkmenistan Airlines

The state-owned service Turkmenistan Airlines was founded 4 May 1992.[6][7] In 1992, Turkmenistan Airlines became the first airline in the former Soviet Union to purchase a Boeing 737-300.[8] In April 1993, Turkmenistan became a full member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The first flight on a cargo aircraft IL-76 was completed on 19 April 1993 from Ashgabat to Brest, Belarus.[9]

From 2001, the airline phased out its Soviet-era fleet for a more modern fleet of Boeing 717s, which were extensively used for service on domestic routes until their retirement. Seven of the 717 series were purchased; the first was presented at the MAKS air show in 2001.[10] On 29 April 2009 a Boeing 737-700 was demonstrated in Ashgabat and on 2 September Boeing announced that Turkmenistan Airlines had confirmed an order for three more such aircraft worth $192 million.[11] Autumn airline supplemented by three Boeing airliners. In May 2009, the airline opened the Lachyn (Turkmen: Laçyn) Hotel in Ashgabat for transit passengers. Designed for 200 guests, it is located on Bitarap Türkmenistan şaýoly, which connects the city center to the Ashgabat Airport.[12][13] On 1 July 2011, the airline began to operate an Electronic ticket system[14][15] on all flights. Booking flights can be carried out in the standard way, but information about air travel began to be given out in the form of a passenger itinerary receipt.[16]

On 8 May 2013, a Boeing 737-800 was delivered.[17][18] On 3 June 2013 a fourth Boeing 737-800 arrived,[19] and on 18 December 2013 a fifth Boeing 737-800 arrived.[20]

In 2012, the airline began printing the full-colour magazine Lachyn ("Falcon"). This was the first in-flight product in Turkmenistan. The magazine is also distributed in the halls for official delegations and VIP-zones of airports in Turkmenistan.[21] In the same year, the airline carried 57,500 passengers to 15 international destinations and approx. 90,000 passengers on domestic routes per month (c. 1.77 million passengers per year).[22]

In January 2013 regular cargo flights to Brno commenced.[9] In March 2013 a new ticket sales centre was opened at 61 Atatürk Street. This building houses 30 sales offices; 17 for domestic flights and 13 for international routes.[23] In August 2013 a regular passenger flight to Lviv was started.[24] In October of the same year, flights to Donetsk[25] and Riga commenced [26] followed in December by the first scheduled service to Western Europe - Paris.[27] In March 2014, Turkmenistan Airlines announced that it was to commence long-haul flights using its newly acquired Boeing 777-200LRs.[28] The aircraft are currently utilized on flights to Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, Delhi and Istanbul.[29]

Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 737-800

Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 757-200

Turkmenistan Airlines Boeing 777-200LR

Turkmenistan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76TD

As of January 2023, Turkmenistan Airlines operates flights to only 5 domestic destinations from its hub at Ashgabat International Airport and [44][45] 6 international destinations in 4 countries.[46] The airline also operates dedicated cargo flights.

Media related to Turkmenistan Airlines at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Flight Information Region In Turkmenistan