Origin and History of Ariana Afghan Airlines

It all started with the relocation of several war-surplus Dakota Aircrafts to Afghanistan by an American commercial pilot. These Aircrafts used to serve as the fleet for a private air service in India during the post World War II period.

Prior to this event, passenger air travel service within Afghanistan was non-existent. The only aircraft fleet that was in operation, belonged to the Royal Afghan Air Force, which had been in existence for some years.

The Afghan Government soon recognized the utility for air travel services for the people at large. This led to the establishment of “Ariana Afghan Airlines”, (hereafter referred to as Ariana) in January 1955

An interesting highlight of the event was that the Shah of Afghanistan personally designed the logo for Ariana, and it continues to be the logo until today. The design represents the Afghan Swallow whose graceful fight has always delighted Afghans throughout the ages, and the blue color was inspired by the precious stone, lapis lazuli, found in the high mountains of Afghanistan.

In 1957, an agreement was negotiated between the Royal Afghan Government and the United States International Cooperation Administration (ICA) to create a joint venture with a leading American airline company, the Pan American World Airways (PanAm). Ariana was reincorporated as a Limited Liability Company with 51 percent of the shares owned by various entities of the Afghan Government. PanAm acquired the remaining 49 percent. PanAm's management contract featured technical assistance as well as the controlling management role. Two DC-4 type aircrafts were purchased with the assistance of ICA to augment the four Dakotas, which Ariana was operating.

Altogether thirty PanAm technicians and managers were assigned to the joint-venture on a full-time basis. Services expanded as the Afghan personnel were trained and more facilities became available. During these early years, the operational and maintenance headquarters for Ariana Afghan Airlines was located in the city of Kandahar, located in the southern plains and well suited to airline operations. Initial operations were from a sandy runway, and maintenance work was done in the open with only minimum shelter.

Concurrent with the development of Ariana as the national carrier, air facilities in Afghanistan were being developed with assistance from the United States Federal Aeronautics Administration (FAA) and continued funding from ICA. A modern airport and air traffic plan was developed for Kandahar, featuring advanced terminal and hangar facilities. In the meantime, assistance was granted by the Soviet Union to develop the airport at Kabul. In 1965, the operational headquarters of Ariana moved to Kabul and shared the modern office facilities with the Afghan Air Authority.

The Ariana-PanAm Joint Venture had two key objectives: to operate the airline profitably; and to train Afghan nationals to eventually assume all operational and management roles. This implied years of training and development and, to a large extent both these objectives were accomplished. Initially, Ariana was staffed with foreign pilots and ground engineering staff comprising mainly of Indians. Gradually, as Afghan professionals and technicians obtained requisite qualifications and gained experience, they assumed key positions in Ariana operations. Initial flight training was conducted in Kandahar with three small aircrafts. The best trainees were then sent to the United Sates to acquire FAA commercial successes with Instrument Ratings. During the 1970s and 80s, twenty six Afghan pilots completed this intensive training program, of which eleven qualified as captains with FAA Air Transport Ratings, the highest license rating obtainable and were placed on Ariana flight duty.

A considerable number of nationals were trained for specialized airline professions, such as dispatchers, communicators, engineers, flight attendants, logistics, flight service specialists, as well as management staff for accounting traffic, sales and so on. By the time the Ariana-PanAm joint venture ended in 1985, Ariana had around 650 personnel, of 630, were Afghan nationals.

Fleet and Routes of the Early Years

The airline's fleet expanded steadily. Two DC-6A/Bs and a Convair 340/440 were purchased during the early 1960s. The first Boeing 727-100C was acquired in 1968, and a second Boeing 727-C was added in June, 1971. Ariana has the proud accomplishment of being the first regional airline to operate a jet aircraft, as well as for being ranked in the top ten globally during the 70s, in terms of air safety.

To begin with, Ariana operated only on domestic routes and gradually added international routes to its operations. In 1971, the domestic routes were taken over by a government owned domestic airline. The domestic service was eventually reintegrated once again with the national carrier more than a decade later..

At the peak of its operations at the end of the 70s, Ariana's Boeing fleet was involved in international operations that comprised twice a week flights to Istanbul, Frankfurt, London, Paris, and Amsterdam, and thrice a week flights to New Delhi, Lahore and Amritsar. In addition to this regular schedule, each year Ariana operated special flights to Mecca in Saudi Arabia as a service for Afghans embarking on the annual Haj Pilgrimage.

Ariana is proud of its fifty years of successful operations in Afghanistan which represents a mountainous terrain that is considered one of the most difficult operating conditions in the world, Ariana’s home base is the Kabul International Airport, which has an altitude of 6,000 feet high and surrounded by a chain of mountains in a bowl like formation. Temperatures are high in the summer and frigid conditions prevail in the winter. Added to this weather mix are summer dust storms rising over 20,000 feet on the northern plateau, and the sand storms in the Kandahar area.

Ariana progressed well in the technical realm during the joint venture period with PanAm. The advent of Jet operations at Ariana implied an extensive training program for pilots, engineers, mechanics, and operations personnel in Afghanistan as well as at Boeing and Pratt & Whitney engine plants. This commitment to training has continued though the years, with Ariana personnel receiving constant exposure to cutting edge technology and technical skills. .

In 1979, Ariana purchased a wide-body DC 10 to operate on its Asian and European routes. After a few years of service, the DC 10 was sold to make room for two Topolov TU 154s from Russia. In 1993, Ariana purchased three Boeing 727-200s from Air France, with the pilots receiving training from the Royal Jordanian Air Academy in Amman.

During the Taliban regime, Ariana operated two Boeing 727-100s and one Boeing 727-200 on international routes, and five AN 24s on domestic routes. Ariana had to eventually curtail all its operations owing to international sanctions imposed against the Taliban regime.

Disaster and a New Beginning

In the wake of the bombing of airfields around Afghanistan during the onslaught against the Taliban regime by Afghan resistance forces supported by an international coalition, Ariana lost six aircrafts out of its remaining fleet of eight.

Peace once again graces our nation. With the generous assistance of the international community, Afghanistan has made a new beginning after 23 disastrous years of conflict. Under the leadership of President Hamid Karzai, and the Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the nation is taking firm steps to rebuild the nation and propel the nation towards growth and prosperity.. Developmental programs are being implemented to develop physical infrastructure and education and health systems. Reforms are being implemented to strengthen political and economic governance. A long-lasting partnership has been forged between the world community and Afghanistan.

Encouraged by developments on the national front, Ariana has begun implementing its own reform road map and is well on its way to recovery. At Ariana, we offer our passengers a well-maintained air fleet, convenient routes, attractive prices, and the best of traditional Afghan hospitality.


Come fly with us and experience the beauty and warmth of Afghanistan.

[Destination Map | Flight Schedule]