According to the Public Relations and International Affairs of the Kish Free Zone Organization, Mohammad Kabiri said at the inauguration ceremony of two infrastructure projects in the aviation and airport industry of Kish, held with the presence of Abuzar Shiroudi, head of the Civil Aviation Organization: From today until 20 Aban, coinciding with Kish Day, a series of projects with a value of more than 140 thousand billion tomans will be inaugurated or ground‑broken, some of which will be commissioned and others concern attracting new investments and starting new projects on the island.
He added: The continuous inauguration of projects and the start of new plans with the presence of investors indicate Kish’s capacity to attract investment and continue the development path in this region.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization, referring to the importance of the aviation industry for this island, continued: Kish is the tourism hub of the south of the country and therefore the development and support of air transport infrastructures is one of the main necessities for the development of this region. Kish can become a pilot in the southern country’s aviation industry both in terms of traffic capacities and services.
Emphasizing the need for a long‑term and realistic view to the development of the aviation industry in Kish, he said: The goal is that the island, in addition to meeting domestic needs, gains a share of regional markets in technical and engineering services and air transport, and paves the way for a more prominent presence of Kish in international markets.
80 percent of Kish traffic is by air
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization, referring to the airport infrastructures created, said: A significant portion of the infrastructures needed by the aviation industry has taken shape on the island and Kish Airport is currently one of the country’s busiest airports.
Kabiri added: About 80 percent of movements to Kish Island are done via air transport, and this matter has doubled the necessity of investment and support for the development of this industry.
He called the establishment of flight simulators in Kish one of the effective measures in developing the aviation industry and said: The deployment of flight simulators by the private sector, in addition to improving training capacities, can prevent currency outflow for pilot training.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization continued: By developing this capacity and installing several simulators on the island, in the future it will be possible to provide pilot training for other countries as well and make Kish known as an aviation industry training center in the region.
Development of aircraft maintenance and aviation services
Kabiri announced plans to develop aircraft maintenance infrastructures in Kish and said: Creating and developing this capacity can, alongside attracting investment and foreign currency revenues, provide services needed by domestic and foreign airlines.
Referring to Kish’s capacities in this field, he added: Last spring, a record of 152 flights in one day was registered in Kish and in Shahrivar the number of daily flights reached 88. Kish Airport in last autumn also hosted more than 700 thousand passengers and 29 domestic and foreign airlines had flight schedules to Kish Island, which shows that if opportunities and necessary infrastructure are provided, the island can achieve significant growth in the aviation industry and provision of air services in a short time.
Air taxis and tourist helicopters on the path of development
Referring to the Kish Free Zone Organization’s programs for developing aerial tourism, he said: The development of air taxis and the use of helicopters for tourism are among the programs being pursued in cooperation with the private sector. Currently five helicopter companies are present on the island and provide support services to the oil and gas industries of the south of the country.
Kabiri added: We hope that simultaneously with Kish Day on 20 Aban and with the renewed presence of the head of the Civil Aviation Organization, tourist helicopter operations on the island will begin and new services will be offered to tourists in this field.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization also announced plans to operate the country’s largest helicopter hangar at Kish Airport and said: In cooperation with Pasargad Bank and the investment made, it is targeted that this project will be commissioned by this year’s Ten‑Day Dawn.
Increase in Kish flights; reaching 22 flight legs
Kabiri, appreciating the cooperation of the Civil Aviation Organization and Airports and Air Navigation Company in the return of Kish flights, said: Kish was one of the first airports that, after the interruption created in aviation activities, was able to return to operational service and this event was very important in reviving hope and the boom of tourism in the south of the country.
Referring to the increase in Kish flights, he stated: In a short period the number of incoming and outgoing flights to the island has reached 22 legs per day; while last week this number was almost half of the current amount.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization expressed hope: By the end of Shahrivar, the number of Kish flights will have increased significantly and the island will once again reach last year’s figures.
Increasing international flights is Kish’s future plan for developing the aviation industry
Kabiri named the development of international flights as another axis of the Kish Free Zone’s programs and said: Last year’s experience showed that foreign markets also have considerable capacity for Kish.
Referring to the establishment of a flight route to Baghdad, he added: Kish flights to Baghdad started last year at three flights per week and increased to 12 weekly flights, indicating the استقبال of international route flights.
The CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization noted: Our goal is that with the support of the Civil Aviation Organization and cooperation of the private sector, the island’s air capacities develop faster and Kish becomes in the medium and long term the air hub of the south of the country and one of the drivers of tourism development in the region.
In conclusion, Kabiri, thanking the presence of the head of the Civil Aviation Organization in Kish and the supports made for the development of the island’s flights, said: The Kish Free Zone organization will stand alongside the private sector and will support investments and new projects in the aviation industry.
It is worth noting that at the ceremony, Seyed Hamidreza Sanei, Deputy of Flight Operations and International Affairs of the Civil Aviation Organization, the Director General of Mehrabad International Airport, the CEO of Atlas Air Airlines, deputies of the Kish Free Zone Organization, CEOs of affiliated companies, the Sunni Friday Prayer Leader of Kish, community heads of Kish and a number of managers and officials of the island were present.
The operation of these two projects is part of the programs to develop air transport infrastructures and the aviation industry of Kish Island, which have been implemented within the framework of inauguration plans from Government Week to Kish Day.