Afghan Exodus: Tracking The Flights Out

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 caused panic among Afghans, with thousands rushing to the airport in a desperate attempt to flee the country. Since then, air travel in Afghanistan has been limited to military aircraft evacuating foreigners and some Afghan nationals. Commercial flights have been extremely limited, with some cancelled altogether.

In the days following the Taliban takeover, only a handful of international commercial flights departed from Kabul, and major airlines diverted their routes to avoid Afghan airspace. Military evacuation flights resumed after being suspended for nearly 24 hours, with countries such as the US, UK, France, Canada, and Germany flying into and out of Kabul airport.

The situation at the airport has been chaotic and dangerous, with Afghans swarming the runway and clinging to departing aircraft. The US aimed to evacuate 5,000-9,000 people out of Kabul daily, requiring one military cargo aircraft to depart per hour.

Commercial flights out of Afghanistan were cancelled after the Taliban took over Kabul

The airport was closed to civilian air traffic, and only military aircraft evacuating foreigners and some Afghan nationals were permitted to operate. The civilian side of the airport was closed, and the US Embassy in Afghanistan warned Americans not to travel to the airport unless they received specific instructions to do so. The US and other countries boosted their troop numbers in Afghanistan to secure the airport and facilitate evacuations.

The cancellation of commercial flights left thousands of people stranded in Afghanistan. The civil aviation authority expressed hope for a swift resumption of normal operations but cautioned that the massive rush of passengers could lead to looting and disorder. They worked to resume flight operations as soon as possible, but commercial flights remained extremely limited, with some cancellations.

The situation had significant implications for air travel in Afghanistan and beyond. Major airlines, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Qatar Airways, and Air France, stopped using Afghan airspace and took longer routes to avoid the country. Civilian flights that normally overflew Afghanistan were rerouted, resulting in additional flight time and fuel costs. The country's airspace was deemed uncontrolled, and airlines were advised to reroute or fly above certain altitudes to mitigate safety risks.

It wasn't until September 2021 that the first international commercial flight under Afghanistan's new Taliban interim government departed from Kabul, carrying foreigners who had been left behind during the previous month's chaotic Western airlift. This marked a significant step toward normalising air travel in the country, but the situation remained challenging for Afghans seeking to leave, as they faced restrictions and uncertainty under the Taliban's rule.

Military aircraft from 15 countries flew in and out of Kabul Airport to evacuate citizens

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 sparked a mass evacuation of citizens and vulnerable Afghan nationals. Military aircraft from 15 countries flew in and out of Kabul Airport to evacuate their citizens. These countries included the US, the UK, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia, India, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, and Turkey.

The US and its coalition partners evacuated more than 123,000 people from Afghanistan via airlifts from Kabul International Airport, then known as Hamid Karzai International Airport. This airlift was the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in US military history, with US military personnel transferring 79,000 civilians through the airport and out of Afghanistan over an 18-day mission. The UK evacuated 150 British nationals and 289 Afghan nationals who had worked with British forces. Germany also participated in the evacuation efforts, although the first German evacuation plane managed to evacuate only seven people due to the chaos on the ground.

Commercial flights resumed from Kabul Airport after it was cleared of thousands of Afghans seeking to flee the country. However, commercial flights remained extremely limited, with some flights cancelled altogether. The only commercial airlines operating were local carriers Kam Air and Ariana Afghan Airlines. The resumption of flights came after the US closed the airport for several hours due to security concerns. The US military took over airport security and air traffic control from Afghan authorities.

The evacuation efforts were not without challenges. There were reports of Afghans swarming the tarmac and clinging onto departing aircraft in desperate attempts to escape. At least seven people died in the chaos at the airport, and military evacuation flights were temporarily suspended. The Taliban's advance also led to the closure of embassies and the evacuation of diplomatic staff from several countries, including the US, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Denmark.

The fall of Kabul had far-reaching consequences, including a surge in refugees and a negative impact on relations between the US and its allies. The evacuation efforts highlighted the urgency to get citizens and vulnerable Afghans to safety as the Taliban consolidated their control over the country.

The US aimed to evacuate 5,000-9,000 people out of Kabul daily

The US had stationed thousands of troops to secure Kabul airport, with 5,800 US troops remaining at the airport to ensure it "remains secure". The US had also authorised the deployment of 1,000 more troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the airport, bolstering troop presence in Kabul to 6,000.

The evacuation efforts were one of the largest airlifts in history. Between 14 and 25 August, the US alone evacuated about 82,300 people from Hamid Karzai International Airport, including US citizens, Special Immigrant Visa applicants, and other vulnerable Afghans. In total, over 122,000 people were airlifted abroad.

The evacuation was completed on 30 August, one day before a deadline agreed upon with the Taliban. The last plane carrying US forces left Afghanistan on 31 August, meeting the deadline to withdraw US forces from the Taliban-led nation.

The first large-scale commercial flight out of Kabul since the Taliban takeover occurred in September 2021

On September 9, 2021, the first large-scale commercial flight out of Kabul since the Taliban takeover occurred in September 2021. The flight, operated by Qatar Airways, carried about 200 foreigners, including Americans, out of Afghanistan. This marked a significant breakthrough in coordination between the U.S. and Afghanistan's new rulers, facilitated by the Taliban's foreign minister and deputy prime minister. The flight was bound for Doha, and passengers included Americans, U.S. green card holders, Germans, Hungarians, and Canadians.

The resumption of commercial flights was a crucial test for the Taliban, who had promised to allow Afghans with proper documents to leave the country freely. The group had been working to restore operations at Kabul's airport, which was severely damaged during the chaotic evacuation of over 120,000 people in August 2021. With technical assistance from Qatar and other nations, the Taliban aimed to resume regular commercial services.

The first international commercial flight to land in Kabul since the Taliban takeover occurred on September 13, 2021, when a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Islamabad touched down at Kabul airport. The resumption of commercial flights offered hope to Afghans still desperate to leave the country. However, the PIA flight carried only a handful of passengers, with an AFP journalist on board estimating around 10 people on the inbound journey.

The resumption of commercial flights was a positive development, and a Qatari special envoy called it a "historic day," expressing optimism about life returning to normal in Afghanistan. The U.S. National Security Council spokesperson also acknowledged the flight as a “positive first step" in their efforts to extract Americans and Afghan allies.

The large-scale evacuation flight on September 9 and the resumption of commercial flights were significant milestones in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, offering a glimmer of hope for those seeking to depart Afghanistan and a step towards restoring normalcy in the country.

The majority of flights out of Afghanistan now originate from military aircraft

The fall of Kabul to the Taliban in August 2021 caused panic among Afghans, with thousands swarming Hamid Karzai International Airport in a desperate attempt to flee the country. This led to a shutdown of the airport and the suspension of commercial flights.

After the US military secured the airport, evacuation flights resumed, but the majority of flights out of Afghanistan now originate from military aircraft. Commercial flights remain extremely limited, with some airlines suspending their flights to and from the country indefinitely.

According to data from FlightRadar24, a flight-tracking website, only six international commercial flights carrying foreign nationals have departed from Kabul since August 15. In contrast, military evacuation flights have been more frequent, with at least 170 flights from the US, UK, France, Canada, Germany, Italy, Australia, India, and other countries recorded between August 15 and 16.

The shift from civilian to military aircraft is evident, with military aircraft constituting about four in every five planes arriving at and departing from Kabul. Before the fall of Kabul, civilian aircraft made up the majority of flights, while military aircraft accounted for only 1% of air traffic.

The US military's presence at the airport is crucial for those seeking to evacuate, as they are now in charge of air traffic control and provide security for both military and commercial flights. The Pentagon has stated that their goal is to evacuate 5,000-9,000 people from Kabul daily, requiring one military cargo aircraft to depart per hour.

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