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.

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.

Zagros Air (Iraq) (ZV, Erbil International (EBL)) has returned its single A321-200 YI-AQU (c/n 1878) to investor Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) which owns 50% in the carrier. It does not currently operate any own aircraft anymore but it is assumed that it still continues to operate some charter flights with wet-leased aircraft as it used to prior to taking delivery of its single aircraft.

Zagros Air (Iraq) (ZV, Erbil International (EBL)) has resumed operations on June 13 after taking delivery of a first ex-Atlasjet Airlines (KK, Antalya (AYT)) A321-200 YI-AQU (c/n 1878). Zagros Air had previously already operated some scheduled charter flights between 2005 and 2008. Atlasjet now owns 50% of the carrier with the other 50% owned by Zagros Group, which is also active in construction, energy, IT, health and trade and one of the largest group of companies in the North of Iraq. Zagros plans to add two more A321s and to use the aircraft for scheduled services from Erbil International (EBL) and Sulaymaniyah International (ISU).