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The patchwork of unfamiliar countries that make up Central Asia is reflected in the varying standards of airlines that serve these routes, says Colin Ellson, although improvements are afoot
FOR sale: one Russian-built Ilyushin-86, circa 1985, 26,000 hours flown, offers invited. Such is the ad you will find on the website of Uzbekistan Airways, which like many of the ex-Aeroflot airlines in Central Asia, is only now getting around to replacing its Soviet-era aircraft – 17 years after their republics gained independence from Mother Russia.
In a sense, the region’s carriers are a reflection of the general lack of economic progress since 1991. Political in-fighting, civil wars, massive egos, and a reluctance to embrace free market principles are barriers to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan enjoying the fruits of freedom from the stifling influence of the USSR.
Despite vast reserves of raw materials in the area, only the oil-rich Kazakhs share in the national wealth. War-torn Afghanistan is a separate issue, and Pakistan, never under Soviet domination, could well flourish under its new-look administration.
In his patchwork of countries, the business opportunities are there for companies who have the fortitude, with help needed for reconstruction, modernisation and education, and in the oil and gas sectors, although here the competition from Russia is stiff.
Air links from the UK to the markets of Central Asia are a curate’s egg of direct and one-stop services, although the region’s airlines are finally making the effort to match up to Western standards.
Kazakhstan’s Air Astana, for example, a joint venture between the Kazakh government and BAE Systems, has grown its fleet from three aircraft in 2002 to 18, with orders made for modern types, and plans in hand for enhanced in-flight entertainment and a frequent flyer programme. Meanwhile, to be fair to Uzbekistan Airways, it is phasing out its ageing Russian jets and has signed a contract with Airbus for six A320s, while Turkmenistan Airlines uses new Boeing 717s on domestic routes, and operates 757s and 767s internationally.
Connections from the UK are also slowly improving, with BMI, which purchased British Mediterranean last year, reviving that airline’s routes to Almaty, Kazakhstan and Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan in October, and Pakistan’s new carrier, Shaheen Air, increasing services from Leeds-Bradford to Islamabad from two a week to three.
If their airlines are beginning to live in the 21st century, why not the countries of Central Asia – with a little help from their British friends.
Afghanistan
Landlocked and mountainous but strategically important, Afghanistan has long been a battleground; the present conflict is yet another in a series which has led to the country’s instability and the ruin of its economy and infrastructure. Riven by war, with 60% of the economy made up of raw opium, much of it trafficked illegally, battered Afghanistan needs outside help. The UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has responded with a range of funds for projects. Aimed at providing sound foundations on which the population can build for the future, its programmes include the training of civic leaders in good governance and leadership, media skills, education, and the restoration of historic buildings. There are no direct flights from the UK, which means flying to one of a number of destinations and catching onward connections. Ariana Afghan Airlines flies to the capital of Kabul from Dubai, Delhi, Islamabad and Sharjah; the country’s first private airline, Kam Air, from Dubai; PIA from Islamabad; and Air India out of Delhi. For internal travel, Ariana and Kam Air offer a good network, and road travel is on a fleet of Toyota Hiace minibuses.
Contact: the British Embassy, Kabul, www.britishembassy.gov.uk/afghanistan
Kazakhstan
Covering an area equal in size to the whole of Western Europe, mountainous in the east, low-lying in the west, heavily industrialised in the north, and fertile in the south, Kazakhstan has vast mineral resources, whose exploitation since independence has brought rapid economic development. The UK is the second- largest foreign investor, and exports goods to the country worth more than £155 million a year, while a large number of British SMEs operate in the oil services sector. There is great potential, says UK Trade & Investment, in the oil, gas, metals, minerals, mining, financial services, manufacturing, telecoms, transport, construction and power generation sectors, and in the country’s modernisation programme. From London Heathrow, Air Astana serves the country’s biggest city, Almaty twice weekly, while British Airways and BMI fly there thrice weekly. Other routes include Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Astana, the new capital. The best way to get around the country is on Air Astana’s comprehensive domestic network.
Kyrgyzstan
The towering peaks of this scenic country contrast sharply with its economy, which since the republic gained independence and lost its vast market in the Soviet Union, has teetered near rock bottom. The main industries are mining, hydropower and agriculture, all of which could benefit from the EU’s promised assistance in the promotion of economic reform, infrastructure building, and exploitation of oil and gas resources. Meanwhile, the government is pursuing tax reform and last year set a target of 6% GDP growth. Investment opportunities exist, but beware the lack of transparency in the business environment. BMI flies from Heathrow to the capital of Bishkek four times a week, BA thrice weekly, and Kyrgyzstan Airways offers services from Delhi. Road journeys tend to be slow, making flying the best way to get around the country.
Tajikistan
Mostly mountainous, tiny Tajikistan has been subject to political unrest and war since independence, although the situation is now said to be stable. Nevertheless, the country is beset by social and economic problems, transport, roads and utilities are worse than in Soviet times, and access to health and education is more limited than in the past. Despite these factors, Tajikistan has considerable economic potential, and the government has prioritised infrastructure development, particularly hydro-power and road building, as key to future prosperity. UK exports to the republic are slim at below £5 million a year, but British companies have investments in the extraction industries, and more opportunities should derive from the projects in the pipeline. With no direct flights from the UK to the Tajikistan capital of Dushanbe, travel is to Istanbul, connecting with Turkish Airlines services to the city, or on Tajik Air’s links from Istanbul, Munich or Sharjah. The national carrier also operates domestic routes.
Pakistan
In the shadow of the Himalayas, Pakistan was born out of the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947 and has undergone more than its fair share of domestic political upheavals and confrontations in the region. Now seemingly stable after elections earlier this year were marred by tragedy, its main exports are textile products, rice, cotton and leather goods. The country enjoys good trade relations with the UK, many Pakistani companies seeing Britain as the market of first choice with which to do business. UK exports to Pakistan were worth £489 million in 2006, principally specialised industrial machinery, power generation equipment, pharmaceuticals and medical products. There has also been considerable British growth and investment in telecoms, IT, oil and gas, food and beverages, financial services, engineering consultancy, and education and training, sectors which UK Trade & Investment highlights as having much more potential. Direct flights from Heathrow include PIA’s three services a week to both the capital of Islamabad and Lahore, and to Karachi twice weekly, while BA operates six times a week to Islamabad. PIA also serves Islamabad non-stop from Birmingham twice a week, and Shaheen Air thrice-weekly from Leeds-Bradford. Domestic flights are with PIA, Aero Asia and Bhoja Air.
Turkmenistan
Made up mostly of desert, with the smallest population in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia, Turkmenistan has the fifth-largest reserves of natural gas in the world, together with substantial deposits of oil. It has, however, been unable to benefit fully from its riches, due to the absence of export routes, disputes over the legal status of the sea where the oil wells are located, and wrangles about price with its main market of Russia. What the country needs most is foreign investment, but with the economy underdeveloped and the pace of reform slow, this is only trickling in slowly. UK exports to Turkmenistan totalled just £13.8 million in 2005, although British companies such as Burren Energy and Dragon Oil, which have agreements to operate oilfields in the west of the country, show that the potential for participation in the republic exists. The most convenient access to the market is with Turkmenistan Airlines, which offers two flights a week from Heathrow to the capital of Ashgabat, four a week from Birmingham. The carrier also has a good domestic network.
Uzbekistan
Like many of its neighbours, landlocked Uzbekistan has substantial natural resources, including, oil, gas, gold and silver, and is the world’s third-largest exporter of cotton, the latter a mainstay of the economy. Its foreign policy, however, is preoccupied with the threat of Islamic fundamentalism in the region, and progress is slow on political and economic reforms. UK exports to the country reached over £21 million in 2005, and major British companies such as Rosehill Energy, BAT, Oxus Resources (gold mining) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers have a presence here, illustrating that there are opportunities for those who relish a challenge. Uzbekistan Airways flies direct to the capital of Tashkent – from where it has a good domestic network - twice a week from Heathrow. Other options include PIA from Islamabad, Air India from Delhi, and Turkish Airlines from Istanbul.
The Carbon Cost
The table below shows the distance covered by a return flight between London and the destination, along with the approximate carbon emissions and the cost of offsetting it with The CarbonNeutral Company. See: www.carbonneutral.com
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