summary
- Uzbekistan celebrates the launch of Samarkand Air, a new airline that connects the country’s second-largest city with regional destinations on Airbus planes.
- Air Samarkand has received its first aircraft, an Airbus A330-300, and plans to expand its fleet with Airbus A320 family aircraft to connect to Europe.
- The airline aims to benefit the Silk Road region by offering new connectivity options and supporting tourism development around Samarkand.
Uzbekistan is celebrating the launch of a new airline. Air Samarkand will connect the country’s second largest city with regional destinations using Airbus aircraft.
About Samarkand Air
The company hopes to operate scheduled and charter flights from Samarkand to multiple destinations by the end of 2023. It has been confirmed that the first routes will be to cities in Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.
Air Samarkand has received its first aircraft.
An Airbus A330-300 arrives at the newly redeveloped Samarkand International Airport on November 2nd. In addition to the A330, the company is acquiring the Airbus A320 family of aircraft with a view to expanding into Europe next year. Bakhtiyor Fazilov, founder of Samarkand Airlines, expressed his excitement about the airline’s first aircraft delivery:
“The launch of this new airline is an important event for the future development of Uzbekistan as a tourist, cultural and business center. We are pleased to welcome Air Samarkand’s first aircraft. The aircraft will soon operate competitive direct flights offering safe and quality service to the most popular international destinations.”
The full-service airline expects to have five aircraft in service by the end of this year. The first aircraft was in service for China Airlines from delivery in 2010. Delivered with Guernsey registration 2-LCCV, registration he is due to be UK33001.
Connecting the Silk Road
Samarkand, located in eastern Uzbekistan, is one of the oldest cities in Asia, dating back to the 7th or 8th millennium BC. The city is an important hub on the Silk Road and is the gateway to many of the country’s ancient and medieval tourist attractions and the surrounding Bukhara, Khiva, Shahrisabz and Zamin National Park regions.
The company plans to use an all-Airbus fleet to connect Samarkand Airport directly with major cities in Asia and Europe. There are 12.6 million people in the local catchment area, who will benefit from the new connectivity options offered, eliminating the need to connect at Tashkent or other regional airports.
There is also a significant inbound tourism market. Samarkand Air is at the forefront of large-scale projects for the development of the Samarkand region. In addition to the new airport facilities, the multifaceted Samarkand Silk Road Samarkand Tourism Center has been built in the city, and several 4- and 5-star hotels are currently being built. Mr Fazilov explained how the new airline will benefit the region:
“Over the past year, we have been implementing a large-scale project to develop the Silk Road-Samarkand Tourism Center. This project combines ancient heritage with modern infrastructure and facilities to expand the tourism potential of the region. is beginning to take it to a qualitatively new level.
“This development continues with the launch of Samarkand Airlines, which will soon directly link the ancient city of Samarkand to a major tourist and commercial center.”
All in with Airbus
The arrival of the first aircraft coincided with the debut of the carrier’s new livery. The aircraft’s white body features the airline’s name and the word “fly easy,” while the wingtips and tail are decorated in rich blue. The first A330 features a two-cabin configuration with 277 economy class seats and 36 business class seats. The widebody has a range of up to 11,500 km and features passenger comfort features such as large overhead storage space for luggage and an in-flight entertainment system for each seat.
Samarkand Airlines will welcome the arrival of its second Airbus A321 aircraft for medium-haul flights in the coming days, with the first aircraft expected to be announced “in the coming weeks.”
