Somon Air, the national carrier of Tajikistan, has selected Moment to introduce wireless inflight entertainment for the first time, as part of its fleet modernisation with Boeing. The agreement covers eight new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft.

Somon Air currently operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet, and none of its aircraft have offered inflight entertainment until now. The airline is renewing its commercial fleet with new 737 MAX 8 aircraft, as part of a wider modernisation programme announced with Boeing in November 2025. The first 737 MAX 8 was delivered in August 2026. Moment’s platform is scheduled to enter service on these aircraft in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The agreement comes as Central Asia records the fastest airline capacity growth of any region in the world: seat capacity across the region has risen by nearly 500% over the past two decades, an average annual growth rate of 7.7%, according to OAG. Somon Air becomes Moment’s second airline customer in Central Asia after SCAT Airlines in Kazakhstan, and its third across the wider Caucasus and Central Asia region, after AZAL, where Moment’s entertainment platform has been on board since 2019.

Somon Air’s network has historically been anchored on flights to Russia, connecting Tajik communities there, alongside services to the Gulf, the Middle East, South Asia and a growing number of European points. Somon Air also operates domestic flights within Tajikistan.

No aircraft modification, no downtime

Moment will equip the aircraft with its Flymingo Box, a portable IFE server that runs on its own battery rather than the aircraft’s power system. Because it requires no Supplemental Type Certificate or structural change, each unit is fitted directly onto the aircraft without an additional certification step, which means Somon Air can bring entertainment onto its new 737 MAX 8 aircraft without adding to its delivery and entry-into-service programme.

Each Flymingo Box runs for up to 14 hours between charges and supports up to 100 streaming connected devices, so passengers stream directly to their own smartphones, tablets or laptops.

A modular platform

Somon Air chose Moment’s Mood platform for its modular structure: airlines select individual modules rather than a fixed bundle. For this agreement, Somon Air has selected the entertainment module, covering video, games and podcasts, the travel information module, which includes a moving map, and the Ads module, which gives Somon Air’s own teams an advertising server to manage onboard campaigns in full autonomy.

As content service provider, Moment will supply Somon Air with an international entertainment catalogue, including films, series, games and podcasts, available in Tajik, Russian and English.

“Our fleet renewal is about more than new aircraft, it changes what we can offer passengers from the first flight,” said Abdulkosim Valiev, CEO of Somon Air. “Introducing entertainment at the same time as the 737 MAX 8 enters service means we start this new chapter with a modern cabin experience.“

“Central Asia’s airline capacity has grown by nearly 500% in twenty years, the fastest rate of any region in the world,” said Tanguy Morel, CEO and co-founder of Moment. “Somon Air is introducing entertainment at the same time as it renews its fleet with the 737 MAX 8, so the onboard experience is built in from day one rather than added later. It’s the same pattern we’ve seen with AZAL and SCAT Airlines, and it’s becoming the norm across the region.”

At a glance

• Timeline: platform entering service in Q4 2026
• Aircraft: eight Boeing 737 MAX 8
• Hardware: Flymingo Box, portable and battery-powered, no aircraft modification
• Platform: Mood, with the entertainment, travel information and Ads modules
• Content: international catalogue in Tajik, Russian and English
• Region: Moment’s third airline partnership in the Caucasus and Central Asia, after AZAL and SCAT Airlines

About Somon Air

Somon Air is the national air carrier of Tajikistan, founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dushanbe. It operates from Dushanbe International Airport, with an additional base at Khujand International Airport, and is the only airline in the country to hold IATA membership, IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification and EASA authorisation to fly to, from and within the European Union. Somon Air’s Boeing 737 fleet is named after national heroes and historical figures of Tajikistan. The airline operates scheduled and charter flights.

About Moment

Moment provides entertainment, e-commerce and connectivity services to the travel industry. Its platforms run on aircraft, trains and ships, and reach 150 million passengers a year. Moment has worked with transport operators since 2013, including Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Nok Air. Its product portfolio spans portable and embedded IFE hardware, the Mood entertainment platform, onboard Wi-Fi portals and the Airfree retail marketplace, deployed across aviation, rail and maritime operators.

Featured image credited to Moment/Somon Air