Ariana and Kam air to merge

Kabul, Jan 31 : Ariana Afghan Airlines will merge with the privately-owned Afghan airline Kam Air, airline officials said, although the final agreement has not been inked.

Kam Air president Zmarai Kamgar said the merging of the two Afghan carriers makes sense in the face of the stiff competition from international airlines.

"We pioneered the merger," he said. "A suggestion was sent from Kam Air to the Council of Ministers, following which, it was sent from the Council to the president. The council, fortunately, then confirmed the merger of Kam Air and Ariana."

"The result is yet not clear, but talks between Ariana and us continue," he added. "Once the companies merge, the ministers of Finance, Economics, and Transport will be bound to find ways to improve their work."

"According to the new act by the Council of Ministers, the air industry is experiencing problems, and to resolve these issue the Council has decided it would be better if Kam Air and Ariana merge," Ariana president Naseer Ahmad Hakimi told TOLOnews.

"We reviewed the act and there have been two meetings at the Ministry of Aviation and Transportation, but no steps have been taken yet," he added.

Meanwhile, the High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption confirmed that the office received a report indicating the Council of Ministers have decided to merge the two airlines.

"I received a report which showed the Council of Ministers has decided to merge Kam Air with Afghanistan's air company, Ariana Afghan Airlines which has been taking the Afghan flag to different countries for more than fifty years," Azizullah Lodin, Head of High Office of Oversight and Anti-Corruption said.

"The report mentioned that works for the matter are underway. They have written how much the losses would be. I reviewed it and wrote a letter to the president to review the matter as well," he added.

Ariana Afghan Airlines is believed to have millions of properties both inside and outside the country.

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SA/EN