Safi Airways Adds Capacity to Dubai

Afghanistan operator Safi Airways is to increase capacity between Kabul and Dubai during the Northern Summer 2012 schedule to support strong demand on the route. The airline currently offers two flights per day between the two cities but from March 28, 2012 will introduce a third rotation on four individual days, increasing weekly flights to 18.

“Safi Airways’ additional flights from and to Kabul and Dubai will meet the requirements of travellers constantly flying between the two cities,” said Lloyd Carswell, Chief Commercial Officer, Safi Airways. “Flights will be operated by our Airbus 320 and Boeing 767 on key days between the two cities effective March 28, thus providing our customers a convenient and frequent travel option targeting the busier days of the week.”

In the past year an estimated 439,000 O&D passengers travelled between Kabul and Dubai, up 33.7 per cent on the previous 12 month period. Safi Airways is the largest operator on the route with a 41 per cent share of the traffic, although UAE-based low-cost carrier flydubai has seen its share of traffic grow significantly over the past year and it now holds a 17 per cent share of the demand. Flydubai’s growth in this market and the arrival of Pamir Airlines on the route has increased competition and although this has had only a minimal impact on Safi Airways, both Ariana Afghan Airlines and Kam Air.

Alongside its flights to Dubai, Safi Airways also offers a four times weekly link between Kabul and New Delhi. From February 22, 2012, around six weeks later than originally planned, the airline will inaugurate a four times weekly Kabul – Abu Dhabi service, while it has revealed it will also introduce flights from the Afghan capital to Bahrain in the coming months. This latter route is already served by Gulf Air on a three times weekly schedule.