Kam Air Moves Planes To Iran But Denies It Will Shut Down

This week, Kam Air urgently relocated some of its aircraft to Iran amid the disruptions in Kabul, Afghanistan. Despite the speculation surrounding the airline’s future, it has affirmed its commitment to serve the population of its nation.

Kam Air’s aircraft had been spotted in Kabul amid the turmoil on the ground in the last few weeks. Photo: Getty Images

Responding to the situation

The largest private airline in Afghanistan shares that there have been false reports online and on TV about the transfer of its planes. Altogether, the carrier remains focused on serving the Afghan market.

Kam Air is based at Hamid Karzai International Airport, which is just a few kilometers from the city center of Kabul. The carrier highlights that all civilian services have been rocked at the airport, and control of the site is currently in the hands of foreign entities. 

The airline has recently been carrying individuals to Ukraine for evacuation. Photo: Getty Images

A critical situation

Along with the evacuations of individuals seeking to leave Afghanistan, there has been serious violence at the scene. For instance, a suicide bombing on Thursday caused the deaths of over 180 people and injuries to over 150 others. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that Kam Air is looking to switch things around while the tensions are high.

“Yesterday, Thursday, August 26, 2021, based on security warnings and loud threats of terrorist attacks at Kabul International Airport, the status of this emergency and military airport was announced, followed by three Kam Air planes intending to land at Kabul International Airport.” Kam Air shared in a statement, translated from Persian.

“The meeting was not allowed. At the request of the Kam Air leadership delegation, the officials of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a temporary meeting to ensure the security of Kabul Airport for the company’s planes. The section expresses gratitude and appreciation. Unfortunately, a number of media outlets and journalists have published untrue news without consulting or contacting the officials of Kam Air, which has disturbed the minds of the people.”

Kam Air concludes that it is a national company that belongs to the Afghan population. It doesn’t intend to stop offering its services to the people of its country after civil operations restart. Overall, the firm’s assets remain active in Kabul and Afghanistan’s other provinces.

Two 737-300s (YA-KMJ and YA-KML) and an A340 (YA-KMH) were in Kabul last week. Photo: Getty Images

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A global impact

Forces across the globe have been working intently to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people from Kabul since the Taliban gained control over Afghanistan’s capital earlier this month. Commercial carriers are also linking with authorities to carry passengers to other nations. Most major US carriers and the likes of Lufthansa have been ramping up efforts in the last few weeks.

In total, Kam Air operates six Boeing 737-300s, three Airbus A340-300s, and a Boeing 737-500. The two aircraft families of the 737 and A340 offer a clear balance between short-haul and long-haul services. The average age of the fleet is 23 years. Tehran Times notes that at least two A340s and one 737 landed in Mashhad’s Hashemi Nejad Airport this week.

Kam Air flies to 12 domestic destinations with its aircraft. It also heads to the likes of Turkey and India, along with several locations in the Middle East and Central Asia. Despite the airline’s intentions, it has a lot to consider in this new chapter in Afghan politics.

What are your thoughts about Kam Air and its operations over the years? Have you ever flown with the carrier? Let us know what you think of the airline and its prospects in the comment section. 

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