Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) and the Kyrgyzstan government have agreed to establish a joint-venture carrier to be based out of Bishkek Manas (FRU) though no exact timeframe or network outline has been given at this time as talks are still in their early stages. The announcement was made following a recent visit to Istanbul by the first vice-prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, Dzhoomart Otorbayev, where he met Atlasjet chairman, Murat Ersoy, and director general, Sami Alan. Meanwhile, Atlasjet's Iraqi venture, Zagros Air (Iraq) (ZV, Erbil International (EBL)), is expecting their previous Airbus A321-200 (msn 1878) to arrive in Erbil International (EBL) by the end of the month on a dry-lease contract. The carrier suspended flights last year in September when it returned the aircraft to owner, Atlasjet. Zagros is hoping to get its Iraqi AOC shortly after the arrival with flights to tentatively resume in June.

South Supreme Airlines (Juba (JUB)) is now planning to add two B737-300s to its fleet, which will tentatively include an An-26 (MSN 37313310), for operations that are planned to launch some time in the near future. Set up by South Sudanese tycoon, Ayii Duang Ayii, the airline effectively has an open playing field following the decision by Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) to withdraw from a planned joint venture with the South Sudanese government which would have resulted in the setting up of a national carrier.

Aerolineas Argentinas (AR, Buenos Aires Ezeiza Ministro Pistarini (EZE)) is to take delivery of four ex-Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) and ex-Malaysia Airlines (MH, Kuala Lumpur International (KUL)) A330-200s (c/n's 290, 300, 358 and 364). The four form part of the Argentine carrier's greater plans to acquire twelve A330s over the next four years, allowing it to replace "most" of its long haul fleet which includes four A340-200s and seven A340-300s. According to Latin American news outlets, the four aircraft are to be leased from aircraft lessor ILFC for planned use on flights to Bogotá El Nuevo Dorado International (BOG), Miami International (MIA), Cancún International (CUN) and Caracas Simón Bolívar International (CCS).

Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) has confirmed it has abandoned plans for the launch of joint venture carriers in South Sudan and Russia. In 2011 the Turkish operator had announced it was planning to enter the Russian market as Atlasjet Russia (Omsk Tsentralny (OMS)) via a US$110million partnership with MPO Mostovik, a Russian construction firm, and the government of Omsk, where it would have been based. Then, in January of this year, Atlasjet was declared the preferred bidder in a tender for a 49% shareholding in a new South Sudanese national airline to be based out of Juba (JUB). ch-aviation can exclusively report that Atlasjet will now primarily focus on the launch of Zagros Air (Iraq) (ZV, Erbil International (EBL)), in whom it holds a 50% shareholding, as well as developing its home market in Turkey.

Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) has confirmed further details of its plans to launch new subsidiaries in Iraq and South Sudan later this year. According to Zagros Air (Iraq) (ZV, Erbil International (EBL)) managing director Can Akcay, Atlasjet's joint venture carrier with Zagros Group plans to launch operations from Erbil in spring with three Airbus aircraft after it had been unable to initially get an air operator certificate last year due to a minimum fleet size rule put in place by the Iraqi civil aviation administration. For the planned joint venture with the government of South Sudan, Atlasjet is currently evaluating a fleet of either ATR 72 or Dash 8-400 turboprops.