Ariana Afghan Airlines starts flights between Kabul-Islamabad

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 12 (ANI): Afghanistan's state-owned airline operator Ariana Afghan Airlines on Thursday said that it has begun regular twice-weekly services from Kabul to Islamabad.
Ariana, which began regular services to Dubai this week, will operate flights between Kabul and Islamabad on Thursdays and Mondays, charging USD 400 from Kabul and USD100 from Islamabad, reported Dawn.
Ariana will be joining Kam Air which has begun flying five times a week between the two cities.
Earlier this week, privately-owned Kam Air started services five times a week to Islamabad as international air traffic gradually reopened following the Taliban's seizure of power in Kabul in August.
The announcement from Ariana came as the Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was visiting Islamabad for talks that are expected to cover issues including aviation links between Afghanistan and Pakistan, reported Dawn.
Some charter services have been flying to Kabul since the Taliban takeover but normally scheduled commercial flights had been suspended.
With an economy in deep crisis and continuing concerns about Afghanistan's future under the Taliban, there has been huge demand from people wishing to leave Afghanistan, made worse by repeated problems at land border crossings into Pakistan, reported Dawn.
Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) suspended its charter service to Kabul from Islamabad last month, citing interference from Taliban authorities, who had warned the airline it should cut its ticket prices. (ANI)