BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, November 27. Kyrgyz airlines are expected to be removed from the EU Air Safety List next year, President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov said at a meeting with Airbus Europe President Johan Pelissier in Berlin, TurkicWorld eports.
"In recent years, active work has been carried out to improve aviation safety, introduce international standards, and modernize infrastructure, which has significantly increased the chances of lifting the restrictions," Zhaparov said.
He pointed out that being left off this list will pave the way for fresh chances to fly directly to Europe. Zhaparov also kept his eye on the ball regarding the future of Asman Airlines, highlighting the need to refresh the air fleet and bring in cutting-edge technologies.
The president spoke about plans to lease two Airbus airplanes (A320 or A321 models) in the first phase of cooperation, which will be used for flights to Europe, including Bishkek-Paris, Bishkek-Berlin, and Bishkek-London.
As President Zhaparov puts it, if all goes according to plan, they’re looking to spread their wings and expand the aircraft fleet in cahoots with Airbus during the second phase.
Zhaparov emphasized that the development of the aviation industry is one of the key priorities for Kyrgyzstan. He noted the importance of already implemented projects, including the purchase of aircraft at the expense of the republican budget, which have been successfully used in the country.
At the end of the meeting, President Sadyr Zhaparov invited Johan Pelissier to visit Kyrgyzstan in the near future to continue the dialog directly with representatives of the aviation industry of the country.
To note, Kyrgyz airlines were blacklisted by the European Union in 2006 for failing to comply with flight safety standards. Since then, Kyrgyz airplanes have been banned from flying to EU countries.
