The governments of Afghanistan and Qatar reached an agreement to begin direct flights between Kabul and Doha, officials said on Wednesday.
Based on a mutual agreement, the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation said, “Afghan and Qatari airlines will be conducting flights to Doha-Kabul each week.”
“The Islamic Emirate and Qatar made an agreement to start flights between Kabul-Doha. The Afghan airlines will conduct flights to Doha, and Qatari airlines will fly to Kabul,” said Imamuddin Ahmadi, a spokesman for the ministry.
Economists say the start of flights between Kabul and Doha will boost Afghanistan’s aviation industry.
“The start of flights from Qatar to Afghanistan and from Afghanistan to Qatar is a major step for Afghanistan aviation,” said Sayed Masoud, an economist.
The former head of the Afghanistan Civil Aviation Authority (ACAA), said that the flights between Kabul and Qatar would help reduce the price of tickets and improve the aviation serviced in the country.
“It can be helpful as Afghanistan relies on its two main transit hubs like Turkey and the UAE for flights. Qatar Airways is a famous airline which is permitted to fly to 173 destinies,” said Mohammad Qassim Wafayizada, former head of the ACAA.
According to Wafayizada, Kabul and Doha signed an agreement on biliteral air aviation cooperation in 2005, but due to political issues the direct flights between the two countries did not happen.
