Kam Air
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Airline |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Zamarai Kamgar |
| Headquarters | Kabul , Afghanistan |
Area served | Afghanistan, Central Asia, South Asia, Middle East |
| Products | Scheduled domestic and international air services |
Number of employees | 800+ |
| Website | kamair |
Kam Air stands as Afghanistan's premier private airline. Established in 2003, the carrier manages a fleet comprising 11 aircraft and employs more than 800 personnel. It provides scheduled domestic services throughout Afghanistan alongside international routes connecting Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. Its primary base of operations is Kabul International Airport.
Establishment and Initial Phase
As the first privately-owned commercial airline in Afghanistan, Kam Air was founded by Zamarai Kamgar, proprietor of the Kamgar Group. The airline received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC No. 001) in August 2003 from the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation. It operates under the ICAO code KMF, IATA code RQ, and financial identifier 384.
The airline's maiden flight took place in November 2003, linking Kabul with Herat and Mazar-i-Sharif aboard a Boeing 727-200. Its initial international service commenced in May 2004, flying between Kabul and Dubai.
On 25 January 2013, Kam Air was blacklisted by the United States amid accusations of involvement in opium trafficking on flights to Tajikistan. Both the airline and Afghan authorities refuted these claims. The prohibition was revoked after one month.
Progress Since 2020
On 24 February 2021, Kam Air made history by operating Afghanistan’s inaugural flight crewed entirely by women. The flight featured Mohadese Mirzaee, then a 22-year-old Afghan female pilot—the airline’s sole commercial female aviator—alongside former Ukrainian Captain Veronica Borysova. They piloted a Boeing 737-500 from Hamid Karzai International Airport to Herat. This achievement garnered extensive international media coverage, including reports from BBC News, Deutsche Welle, and Business Insider. The journey lasted approximately 90 minutes.
After the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on 15 August 2021, all civilian air travel was halted temporarily. To safeguard its aircraft amid the turmoil, Kam Air transferred some planes to Iran. Domestic flight operations recommenced on 5 September 2021, followed soon after by the resumption of international routes.
Frequent flyer program
Kam Air operates a loyalty scheme known as Orange Miles within its frequent flyer offerings.
Destinations
As of January 2025, Kam Air's network includes the following locations:
Kam Air has established codeshare collaborations with the following carrier:
Interline agreements
The airline's interline partnerships encompass:
- Air India
- APG Airlines
- Emirates
- Etihad Airlines
- Flynas
- Hahn Air
- Malaysia Airlines
- Saudia
- Turkish Airlines
Active fleet
As of June 2025, Kam Air's operational fleet consists of:
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passenger capacity | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A340-300 | 3 | — | 346 | YA-KMU, YA-KME, YA-KMH |
| Boeing 737-300 | 3 | — | — | YA-KML, YA-KMK, YA-KMJ |
| Boeing 737-500 | 1 | — | 126 | YA-KMN |
| Total | 7 |
In August 2021, several Kam Air aircraft were temporarily stored in Iran due to safety concerns following Kabul's fall and related airport operational challenges.
Previously operated fleet
Kam Air has formerly utilized the following types of aircraft:
- 2 ATR 42 (2018–2021)
- 2 Airbus A320-200 (2011–2014), leased from Bahrain Air and 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), including one leased from Phoenix Aviation
- 1 Boeing 767-300 (2021), leased from Ukrainian Wings
- 2 Douglas DC-8-60/70 (from 2010)
- 4 Fokker 100 (2016), leased from Bek Air
- 2 McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (from 2008)
- 5 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (from 2010), with 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 February 3, 2005, Kam Air Flight 904, a Boeing 737-200 operated by Phoenix Aviation, vanished during its approach to Kabul International Airport amidst adverse weather conditions. The aircraft wreckage was discovered on February 5 in mountainous terrain east of Kabul; all 104 passengers and crew perished.
- On August 11, 2010, a Douglas DC-8-63F registered YA-VIC experienced a tailstrike during takeoff at Manston Airport, UK. The incident resulted from the aircraft being overweight due to excessive fuel and cargo miscalculations. The flight proceeded to Cape Verde for inspection. Following investigation and safety recommendations by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, Kam Air was prohibited from operating within the European Union. The three crew members involved were terminated, and the airline retired its two DC-8 aircraft.
- In January 2018, Kam Air announced that nine employees lost their lives during a Taliban assault on a hotel in Kabul—comprising seven Ukrainians and two Venezuelans. The airline had secured fifty rooms at this heavily guarded establishment for foreign personnel. Among the deceased were five pilots and four cabin crew members. Subsequently, more than fifty foreign staff departed Afghanistan, leading to five of Kam Air’s nine aircraft being grounded due to insufficient crew availability. This staffing shortfall caused numerous daily flight cancellations.