Ariana Afghan Airlines

Ariana Afghan Airlines was established on January 27, 1955. During the 1970s, Ariana was considered a top notch airlines company by many travel experts. At that time, the airline operated equipment such as Douglas DC-10s.

After the defeat of the Soviet Union in 1989 and former president Najibullah's communist regime, the Taliban took over Kabul in 1996. Afghanistan faced substantial economic sanctions from the international sector during the Taliban. That, combined the Taliban government's control of the company, including the stoppage of all international flights, affected the company's economic status through most of the 1990s, a period where their fleet was reduced to only a handful of Russian and Ukrainian built An-26s, Yakovlev Yak-40s and three Boeing 727s, which were used on the longest domestic routes. In October 1996, Pakistan provided a temporary maintenance and operational base at Karachi. In 1999, Ariana flew only to Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia also, limited cargo flights continued into China's western provinces. However, sanctions imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 1267 forced the airline company to suspend overseas operations. In November 2001, the airline was grounded completely. Combatants Soviet Union, Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (Parcham) Afghan and foreign Mujahideen rebels supported by nations such as: United States, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, China United Kingdom Commanders Soviet forces only Pavel Grachev, Boris Gromov, Valentin Varennikov Abdul Haq, Jalaluddin Haqqani, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Mohammed Khalis, Ismail Khan, Ahmad Shah...

After the removal of the Taliban government in 2001, following the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack, and subsequent U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, Ariana began to rebuild its operations in December 2001. About a month later, the UN sanctions were finally lifted so the airline could fly again. As a gesture of good-will and step towards creating foreign relations with Afghanistan, the government of India gave the state carrier three Airbus A300s which had been in service with Air India. Ariana resumed flights to international destinations, and its first international passenger flight since 1999 landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India.

Ariana Afghan Airlines currently owns three Airbus A300/B4, four Boeing 727-200 Advance Series, and one Antonov 24. The airline also leased one Boeing 757-200 for period of two years which will be used in Middle East and European routes.

IATA-Code: FG
ICAO-Code: AFG
Call sign: Ariana
Established: 1955
Headquarter: Kabul, Afghanistan
Hub: Kabul International Airport