As reported earlier, on June 23, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov attended the official opening ceremony of Kerki International Airport, while on a working trip to Lebap velayat. 

During the ceremony, Kerki International Airport received the official ICAO document on awarding it a four-letter location indicator - UTAE and the International Certificate of Conformity issued by Munich International Airport.  

The participation of top officials from international organizations in the opening ceremony of the airport via digital means is seen as a token of great respect for our independent home country and demonstrates the support of the initiatives on building transport corridors of regional and continental significance that were announced by the President of Turkmenistan from the United Nations podium.    

Among them were IATA’s Area Manager for Turkey, Central Asia and Azerbaijan Funda Calisir; Deputy Director of Monitoring and Oversight at the Air Navigation Bureau of the International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO, a United Nations specialized agency) Denis Guindon; and Managing Director of Munich International Airport Ralf Gaffal. Speaking in a virtual format during the ceremony, they extended their hearty congratulations to the President of Turkmenistan on the official opening of Kerki International Airport and expressed their confidence that the new airport would make a big contribution to the safe, reliable and stable development of the civil aviation sector.  

To ensure flight safety, our country’s airports are tooled with up-to-date radio navigation systems from French company Thales.  

As part of the National Civil Aviation Development Program of Turkmenistan for 2012-2030, practical steps are now being taken to raise the quality of passenger service, to guarantee flight safety, and to adopt advanced operational procedures at the airports.