Kam Air

History

Foundation and early years

Kam Air was the first private commercial airline established in Afghanistan by the owner and founder of Kamgar Group, Zamarai Kamgar, an Afghan businessman. Kam Air's Operator Certificate (AOC Nr. 001) was issued in August 2003 by the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) of Afghanistan. Kam Air was registered with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) three letter airline code, KMF, International Air Transport Association (IATA) two letter code, RQ and financial code 384.

The first flight of Kam Air was operated from Kabul to Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif in November 2003 with a Boeing 727-200, while the first international flight was inaugurated in May 2004 between Kabul and Dubai.

On 25 January 2013, the United States blacklisted Kam Air citing a United States Army investigation that the airline smuggled opium on civilian flights to Tajikistan, an allegation denied by the airline and the Afghan government. The ban was suspended a month later.

Development since 2020

On 24 February 2021, Kam Air operated Afghanistan's first ever all-female crew flight. The airline's first and so far its only commercial female Afghan pilot, then 22-year-old Mohadese Mirzaee, joined now former Captain Veronica Borysova from Ukraine in piloting the Boeing 737-500 from Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to Herat. The event made global headlines and was first covered by Josh Cahill and later featured on BBC News, Deutsche Welle and the Business Insider. The flight took 90 minutes.

Due to the collapse of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, all civilian services in the country were temporarily suspended on 15 August 2021. Kam Air flew some of its planes to Iran to prevent damage during the turmoil. However, domestic flights restarted on 5 September 2021. International flights were also later resumed.

Frequent flyer program

Kam Air's frequent flyer program includes a loyalty membership called the Orange Miles.

Destinations

As of January 2025, Kam Air serves the following destinations:

Codeshare agreements

Kam Air has codeshares with the following airlines:

• Air Arabia

Interline partners

• Air India
• APG Airlines
• Emirates
• Etihad Airlines
• Flynas
• Hahn Air
• Malaysia Airlines
• Saudia
• Turkish Airlines

Fleet

Current fleet

Kam Air has the following aircraft in its fleet:

In August 2021, Kam Air sent an unspecified number of its aircraft to Iran for temporary storage amidst safety concerns following the fall of Kabul and the resulting chaos that surrounded the city's airport.

Former fleet

The airline previously operated the following aircraft:

• 2 ATR 42 (2018–2021)
• 2 Airbus A320-200 (2011–2014) leased from Bahrain Air and Nordic Aviation Capital (NAC)
• 6 Boeing 737-200 (2004–2010) leased from Eastok Avia and Phoenix Aviation
• 1 Boeing 737-400 (2019–2020) leased from Ukrainian Wings
• 3 Boeing 737-800 (2006–2008, 2017) leased from AirExplore and Pegasus
• 2 Boeing 747-200 (2012–2015) operated by The Cargo Airlines
• 2 Boeing 767-200 (2005, 2007–2017) (one leased from Phoenix Aviation)
• 1 Boeing 767-300 (2021) leased from Ukrainian Wings
• 2 Douglas DC-8-60/70 (2010–)
• 4 Fokker 100 (2016) leased from Bek Air
• 2 McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (2008–)
• 5 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (2010–) (three leased from Bravo Airways)
• 2 McDonnell Douglas MD-87 (2012–2024)
• 2 Saab 340 (2016–2018) leased from Air Urga

Accidents and incidents

• On 3 February 2005, Kam Air Flight 904, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Phoenix Aviation, flying from Herat International Airport in western Afghanistan, vanished from radar screens on approach to Kabul International Airport in poor weather. The disappearance sparked a massive Afghan army search operation for the 96 passengers and eight crew. The wreckage of the plane was found on 5 February 2005 in the mountains east of Kabul. All 104 people aboard were killed.
• On 11 August 2010, Douglas DC-8-63F YA-VIC suffered a tailstrike on take-off from Manston Airport, United Kingdom, destroying an approach light. The aircraft was operating an international cargo flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina, via the Cape Verde Islands. The incident was caused by the aircraft being 25700 lb overweight due to excess fuel load and misestimating of cargo mass. After being informed of the mishap, the crew continued to Cape Verde. An inspection there confirmed the tailstrike, though analysis of the strike indicator showed the plane was still safe. The incident was investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, which made various safety recommendations. Kam Air was subsequently banned from operating within the European Union. The three crew involved were also dismissed, and Kam Air announced that it would withdraw its two DC-8s from service.
• In January 2018, Kam Air reported that nine staff members were killed in a Taliban attack on a hotel in Kabul – seven Ukrainian employees and two Kam air employees from Venezuela. Kam Air had rented 50 rooms for their foreign staff at the hotel, described as one of Kabul's "most heavily guarded." Five were pilots, and four were crew members. Afterwards, over 50 of the airline's foreign workers left the country, and by 26 January, five of its nine aircraft sat idle due to lack of staffing. A large number of daily flights were also being canceled for that reason.
• On 22 September 2025, a 13-year old stowaway from Afghanistan was discovered on the landing gear compartment of a Kam Air flight that arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi from Kabul. The boy, who said he wanted to travel to Iran out of curiosity but was unaware that he had taken a flight to India, was repatriated on a return flight that same day.

References

References

1. "Afghanistan aviation market: Ariana to renew fleet and resume growth, despite intense competition". CAPA - Centre for Aviation.
2. (25 January 2013). "US blacklists Afghan airline accused of smuggling opium". BBC News.
3. (25 February 2013). "Kam air row: US suspends ban on Afghan airline". BBC News.
4. "لومړي ځل افغان مېرمنو د الوتنې ټولې چارې ترسره کړې - BBC News پښتو". BBC News پښتو.
5. Foster, Brent. (27 February 2021). "Kam Air All-women-crewed Flight Sets Precedent for Afghan Gender Equality".
6. Pallini, Thomas. "An airline in Afghanistan says it just flew the country's first flight with an all-female crew — here's what it was like onboard".
7. n.a.. (15 August 2021). "Commercial flights to Afghanistan suspended". Ch Aviation.
8. Dudley, Dominic. (26 August 2021). "Afghan Airline Seeks Refuge In Iran For Its Planes". Forbes.
9. Abdullah, Syed. (2021-09-25). "Pakistan allows Afghan airline Kam to operate 3 flights".
10. (12 December 2021). "Kam Air to resume flights between Kabul and Tashkent".
11. "Orange Miles FAQs".
12. "Kam Air routes and airport map - FlightsFrom.com".
13. "Kam Air profile". CAPA.
14. "All Partner Airlines".
15. "Etihad Airways boosts interline deals with five airlines making travel smoother".
16. "Partner Carriers | Hahn Air Lines".
17. (September 2025). "Global Airline Guide 2025 - Kam Air". Airliner World.
18. (26 August 2021). "Afghanistan's Kam Air sends passenger planes to Iran amid Kabul chaos -Iranian media".
19. Harro Ranter. (3 February 2005). "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 737-242 EX-037 Kabul".
20. Hradecky, Simon. (12 May 2011). "Report: Kam Air DC86 at Manston on Aug 11th 2010, tail strike on takeoff". The Aviation Herald.
21. "YA-VIC". Air Accidents Investigation Branch.
22. (24 January 2018). "Afghan airline struggles after foreign staff killed in hotel raid".
23. (26 January 2018). "Grounded and Gutted, Main Afghan Airline Struggles After Taliban Attack". [[The New York Times]].
24. (22 January 2018). "Kam Air Left Reeling by Deadly Kabul Hotel Attack".
25. (1 February 2018). "Afghanistan's Kam Air struggles to stay afloat after deadly Kabul attack". [[Arab News]].
26. Yadav, Nikita. (2025-09-23). "Afghan boy flies from Kabul to Delhi hiding in plane's landing gear".