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| Founded | 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 2022 | ||||||
| Operating bases | Manas International Airport [2] | ||||||
| Fleet size | 1 | ||||||
| Destinations | 2 | ||||||
| Parent company | Pegasus Airlines | ||||||
| Headquarters | Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan [2] | ||||||
| Website | www | ||||||
Air Manas was a low-cost airline headquartered in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan with its base at Manas International Airport. [2]
In October 2022, it was reported that the airline was grounded due to sanctions imposed on its Russian aircraft lessor. [3]
Air Manas was founded in 2006 in Bishkek. The first flight of Air Manas was carried out in December 2009. In June 2012, 49% of the air company was bought by a Turkish Pegasus Airlines. The first flight under the brand name Pegasus Asia was operated from Bishkek to Istanbul on 22 March 2013. [4] Now the airline operates domestic flights between Bishkek to Osh, as well as international flights from Kyrgyzstan to India, Russia, Turkey and China.
The efforts of the Kyrgyz Government to attract foreign investments had borne fruit: mutual visits of high-level governmental delegations gave a serious impetus to bilateral trade relations between Turkey and Kyrgyzstan. Thus, at the end of 2012 in the basis of pre-existing airline, a new Kyrgyz airline with the same name of "Air Manas" was created, being 51% owned by the Kyrgyz side and 49% by newly attracted strategic partner Pegasus Airlines, one of the leading air companies in Europe.
Air Manas has its own certified aviation-technical base for the operational maintenance of aircraft. Despite the lack of any incidents, the airline along with all airlines based in Kyrgyzstan was on the list of air carriers banned in the European Union.
As of May 2022, the Air Manas fleet consists of the following aircraft: [5]
| Aircraft | In Service | Orders | Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A220-300 | 1 | — | 145 | Stored due to sanctions against its Russian lessor |
| Total | 1 | — | ||
The airline also previously operated the following aircraft types: [6] [7]
Itek Air, Ltd was an airline based in Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan.
JSC National Air Carrier "Kyrgyzstan Airlines" was the national airline of Kyrgyzstan, with its head office on the grounds of Manas International Airport in Bishkek. It operated scheduled international and domestic services, as well as charter flights. Its main base was Manas International Airport, with a hub at Osh Airport.
Kyrgyzstan Air Company, operating as Air Kyrgyzstan, was the flag carrier of Kyrgyzstan, based in Bishkek. It operated scheduled domestic and international services to 13 destinations, as well as charter services. Its main hub was Manas International Airport in Bishkek, with a hub at Osh Airport in Osh.
Pegasus Airlines, sometimes stylized as Flypgs, is a Turkish low-cost carrier headquartered in the Kurtköy area of Pendik, Turkey with bases at several Turkish airports.
Air Italy S.p.A., operating as Air Italy was an Italian airline, headquartered in Milan. Using wet-leased aircraft from Boeing, it operated from 2005 to 2018, later as the main airline of Air Italy Group together with two other subsidiaries, Air Italy Egypt and Air Italy Polska, which both later ceased operation. After 2011, Air Italy was a fully integrated subsidiary of Meridiana, then known as Meridiana fly, and continued its operation under the Meridiana Brand but keeping its own AOC. On 28 February 2018, Air Italy reorganised with Meridiana to create the new Air Italy under the new ownership of Meridiana's parent company, AQA Holding.
Manas International Airport is the main international airport in Kyrgyzstan, located 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-northwest of the capital, Bishkek.
Osh International Airport is an airport serving Osh, the capital of Osh Region (oblast) of Kyrgyzstan. In 2016, 1,210,576 passengers passed through the airport, an increase of 33% over the previous years.
Air ACT, legally ACT Airlines and formerly branded as myCargo Airlines, is a Turkish cargo airline based in Kurtköy, Istanbul. It operates international scheduled and charter air cargo services, as well as wet and dry lease services. Its main base is Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Istanbul.
Esen Air was an airline based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It started operations on 10 October 2006 and operated domestic and international charter services. The main base was at Manas International Airport, Bishkek.
Avia Traffic Company is an airline with its head office in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. operating out of the Manas International Airport.
East Air was a privately owned airline based in Qurghonteppa, Tajikistan. The airline operated regular flights from Qurghonteppa and Kulob to Russia. In October 2014 the Tajikistan General Authority of Civil Aviation revoked East Air's Air Operator's Certificate (AOC) and the airline went out of business.
Iran Aseman Airlines Flight 6895, was a Boeing 737-200, registered as EX-009, operating a charter flight operated by Itek Air on behalf of Iran Aseman Airlines which crashed on 24 August 2008 near Manas International Airport in Kyrgyzstan while en route to Imam Khomeini International Airport, Tehran, Iran. It crashed while returning to the airport of origin after experiencing technical difficulties.
Globus Airlines was a Russian airline based at Moscow Domodedovo Airport operating for S7 Airlines.
Air Bishkek was an airline based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with its operational base at Manas International Airport. It was founded as Eastok Avia (E4/EAA) in 2006 and renamed to Kyrgyz Airways. In 2011 the airline was again rebranded into Air Bishkek. Due to alleged poor safety standards in Kyrgyzstan, the airline has been included in the List of air carriers banned in the European Union since 12 October 2006. The airline stopped operating in February 2016 after experiencing financial difficulties. As of June 2016, its Air Operator Certificate has been suspended.
Jalal-Abad Airport is an airport serving Jalal-Abad, the capital of the Jalal-Abad Region (oblast) of Kyrgyzstan. Not to be confused with Jalalabad Airport in Afghanistan. Local travel agents use JBD as an unofficial three-letter airport code in Latin. The local code for Jalal-Abad Airport is ДЖБ.
Avia Traffic Company Flight 768 was a scheduled passenger flight from Bishkek to Osh, Kyrgyzstan. On 22 November 2015, the Boeing 737-300 operating the flight was about to land at Osh Airport but it touched down so hard that both main landing gears sheared off. The aircraft skidded off the runway with the left engine being torn from its mount as well. There were no fatalities in the accident, but 14 people were injured.
Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 was a scheduled international cargo flight operated by ACT Airlines on behalf of Turkish Cargo, from Hong Kong to Istanbul via Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. On 16 January 2017, the Boeing 747-400F flying the route crashed in a residential area while attempting to land in thick fog at Manas International Airport, Bishkek. A total of 39 people – all 4 crew members on board and 35 residents on the ground – were killed.
The Kyrgyz Air Force is the official air force of the Armed Forces of the Kyrgyz Republic. Its current commander is Colonel Kylychbek Aidaraliev. The official holiday of the air forces is Aviation Day on August 18.
Pegasus Airlines Flight 2193 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Izmir to Istanbul in Turkey operated by Pegasus Airlines. On 5 February 2020, the Boeing 737-800 operating the route skidded off the runway while landing at Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Turkey. Three people were killed, 179 people were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed. It was the first fatal accident in the airline's history. The accident came less than a month after another Pegasus Airlines accident involving a Boeing 737 skidding off the runway at the same airport.
Varesh Airlines is an Iranian airline. It initially concentrated its activities in Mazandaran province, then expanded into the Iranian domestic and international markets when it first served Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Its central hub is in Dasht-e Naz Airport.
Media related to Air Manas at Wikimedia Commons
