European Airline Air Belgium Opens a Service Point at Ashgabat Airport
French transport and logistics group CMA CGM, one of the world's largest players in cargo transportation, is expanding its presence in the Turkmen market. Its subsidiary, Air Belgium, will soon open its own service point at Ashgabat International Airport.
This was announced by Philippe Merlin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Turkmenistan, speaking at a gala reception to mark the National Day of the French Republic on July 14.
According to the diplomat, this step is a continuation of the practical implementation of the agreements reached in Paris in May 2025 during a meeting between the National Leader of the Turkmen People, Chairman of the Khalk Maslakhaty, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Belgian carrier's scheduled launch of regular cargo flights via Ashgabat is scheduled for early August of this year. ORIENT previously reported in detail on the practical and technical details of the project, which were discussed by Turkmenistan's Ambassador to Brussels, Sapar Palvanov, and Air Belgium CEO Georges Chashati. The opening of an official CMA CGM service point at Ashgabat Airport will be a crucial step toward the long-term support of these flights and the creation of a comfortable environment for international business.
ORIENT Note: To understand the project structure, it's worth noting that Air Belgium has officially become part of the CMA CGM group. The deal was finalized following the completion of the Belgian airline's restructuring. The French holding company acquired the company's cargo assets, fully integrating them into its specialized aviation division, CMA CGM Air Cargo.
Today, Air Belgium operates exclusively in the cargo market. The French group has decided to retain the recognizable Air Belgium brand. The airline's operations and headquarters remain based in Belgium (at Brussels and Liège airports). The acquisition allowed CMA CGM to strengthen its air wing with wide-body freighters, including Boeing 747-8F and Airbus A330, which operate scheduled flights to key Asian and European destinations.
