Aeroflot to Introduce Second Uzbekistan Route

Aeroflot Russian Airlines is set to introduce a second link into the CIS Republic of Uzbekistan, adding to its existing flights to the capital Tashkent. For the first time as a ‘Russian’ carrier, Aeroflot plans to offer regular flights Samarkand, one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world made famous for its central position on the famous Silk Road between China and the West. It plans to introduce a six times weekly service from its Moscow Sheremetyevo hub from November using Airbus A320 equipment.

Samarkand is the second largest city in Uzbekistan and is already linked to four cities in Russia, including the capital Moscow, with flights to Moscow Domodedovo offered by Uzbekistan Airways and Russian carriers Moscovkia Airlines and Vim Airlines. Uzbekistan Airways also flies to Kazan and St Petersburg, the latter destination also served by Rossiya Airlines, while Ural Airlines flies from Samarkand to Ekaterinburg.

An estimated 1.3 million O&D passengers travelled between Russia and Uzbekistan in the past year with around 100,000 making the journey between Moscow and Samarkand. Uzbekistan Airways currently dominates this market with a 59 per cent share of the total traffic, although Aeroflot Russian Airlines would expect to secure a significant share of this demand, as well as stimulating the market through its wider domestic and international network from the Russian capital, when it launches its planned flights in November.