Ariana Afghan Airlines (FG, Kabul) has issued a Request For Quotations (RFQ) for the wet-lease of widebody aircraft during the Hajj 2019 season.

Official documents seen by ch-aviation show the state-owned carrier is looking for quotes for the use of the following aircraft:

  • A310 - Minimum Seating Capacity must be 230+;
  • A330 - Minimum Seating Capacity must be 290+.
  • A340 - Minimum Seating Capacity must be 330+;
  • B747 - Minimum Seating Capacity must be 510, 540 or more;
  • B767 - Minimum Seating Capacity must be 260+.

Eligible aircraft must be no older than 20 years of age at the time of delivery and must also meet Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Foreign Operator Certification requirements and circulars.

The aircraft will be used to run flights from each of Kabul, Mazar i Sharif, Herat, and Kandahar to Jeddah International and Madinah and v.v. for the duration of Hajj whose Phase 1 (i.e. Arrivals), this year, will run from July 4 to August 5. Phase 2 (i.e Return) will run from August 26 until September 14.

Ariana expects to offer a Minimum Guaranteed Block Hour (MGH) of 650+ hours for both phases of the pilgrimage. It did not, however, specify how many jets would be wet-leased, adding only that it had been allocated funding in the budget.

The deadline for the submission of quotations is March 16.