( CNN ) -- In Somalia , getting from point A to B can be a perilous business . Towns are remote , the roads that link them are poor and prone to attack , while the coastline is manned by pirates . So why are so many airline operators eager to launch routes to Mogadishu ? Despite Somalia 's many security woes , the aviation industry is experiencing an uptick . Mogadishu 's Aden Abdulle International Airport -- which was essentially out of commission prior to 2010 following years of civil war , in-fighting and a reign of terror brought on by Al Qaeda -backed terrorist group Al Shabaab -- has been expanding . `` Before 2010 , there was n't really an airport , just a runway . Now , we have 35 flights a day . The airport is booming , '' says Sean Mendis , Aden Abdulle 's station manager . Security in the country is an on-going concern , though it has improved . Al Shabaab was forced out two years ago , allowing some local businesses to reopen and Aden Abdulle to beef up its security , which is currently under the purview of the African Union Mission in Somalia ( AMISOM ) , the Somalia Civil Aviation and Meteorology Authority , the Somali police , the Somali National Security Agency , and SKA International Group -- the consulting firm charged with the airline 's renaissance . `` The airport is very different from the town . There are 17,000 troops protecting it . We have four x-ray machines and several security checks passengers have to pass through before boarding a plane , '' explains Mendis . These measures has given confidence to a range of carriers . Jubba Airways -- Somalia 's unofficial national carrier -- has expanded its network and fleet considerably , and several neighboring outfits , like African Express and Fly540 , have daily flights throughout the country . Last month , Air Uganda started flying three times a week to Mogadishu , and last year , Turkish Airways became the first major commercial airline to service the Somali capital in over 20 years . Mendis envisions more international carriers , particularly some of the Middle East 's heavy hitters , launching routes soon . Watch : Turning around African aviation . Still , violence remains an everyday reality . Last month a car bomb was driven into a convoy of AMISOM troops near the airport . If anything , the country 's lack of infrastructure and stability is actually boosting the airline industry . `` The population is sparsely distributed throughout the territory . Traveling by land is dangerous -- not just because the roads are bad , but because of highway robbery . Police checkpoints charge you $ 50 just to pass through . For ordinary people , as well as UN peacekeepers , flying domestically is really the best way to go , '' says Christos Shepherd , head of business development and start-up airlines at aviation consulting firm Mango Aviation Partners . For big carriers , like Turkish Airlines , flying to Somalia represents a bigger strategy of gaining a foothold in Africa as a whole . In 2012 , the airline expanded its network to include 15 destinations throughout the continent . `` The most important geographic part of the world over the next 100 years will be Africa . In this respect , any destination ( we fly to ) in Africa will create more effective results than , say , a destination in Europe , '' says Ali Genc , Turkish Airlines ' senior vice president of media relations . Despite the increase in competition , airfares remain remarkably high . Even low-cost carriers charge upwards of $ 500 for internal flights . `` For the airlines operating these routes , the costs are very high -- much higher than they would be flying similar-sized aircraft with the same number of passengers in Europe , because you do n't have the infrastructure , plus you 're paying a premium to pilots and crew for being in a place they do n't want to be , '' says Shepherd . Read more : The worst airports for delays . According to Ruben Gamero , the director of operations for African Express , combat pay is a common incentive for pilots . `` All operators flying to Somalia have to be given a special permit , because the country is considered a hostile destination . We take into account every factor and calculated risk , and have never been involved in any unsafe or unstable situation , '' he says . Surprisingly for a country whose economy is in shambles , there are plenty of passengers willing to pay the fare . `` Somalis are very resilient , and they get a lot of money from the diaspora , '' explains Mendis , who adds that U.N. and NGO traffic keeps the demand for seats high . African Express cites 90 % occupancy , and Turkish Airlines says the load factor is increasing . `` Judging by the amount of traffic the airport is seeing , I 'd say there 's plenty of profits to be had , '' says Mendis .
Business at Mogadishu 's airport is `` booming '' , with up to 35 flights scheduled each day . Last year , Turkish Airlines was the the first major carrier to fly to Mogadishu 25 years . Comment: Currently 17,000 troops protect the airport . Pilots and crew are paid more for operating in what is still classified as a hostile destination .