Post Soviet Flag Carrier: 30 Years Of Uzbekistan Airways

Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Uzbekistan Airways was formed on January 28th, 1992. The company would go on to become the flag carrier of its newly independent home of Uzbekistan.

With three decades of activity under its belt, Uzbekistan Airways has become a global aviation powerhouse. Photo: Aero Icarus via Wikimedia Commons

New requirements

Uzbekistan declared independence from the Soviet Union in September 1991 and was formally recognized just two months later. Thus, the country needed a new carrier to handle operations in the new year, with Aeroflot previously taking care of services during the time of the USSR.

So, following the company’s authorization by President Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan Airways took over from what was now Russia’s Aeroflot on May 31st, 1992. After two years of operations, a pair of A310s were taken on to scale services throughout the 1990s. The An-24/26, Il-62, Il-76, Il-86, Tu-154, and Yak-40 also made up the fleet mix during this period.

The Il-114 entered the fleet in 1998, with Uzbekistan Airways being the launch customer of the twin-engine turboprop type. The aircraft combined with the Boeing 757-200 to help the carrier enter the new millennium.

A global force

Within its country, Uzbekistan heads to the likes of Nukus, Urgench, Bukhara, Navoi, Zarafshan, and Karshi across the eastern and central areas. At the western end, the airline flies to Termez, Samarkand, Fergana, Andijan, Namangan, and Tashkent.

Internationally, the airline has a strong footprint across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. It even has a presence across the Atlantic Ocean in New York. Important markets are fellow former Soviet countries, India, Eastern Europe, China, Southeast Asia, and the United Kingdom.

Uzbekistan Airways is the leading operator of the 787 when it comes to CIS (commonwealth of independent states) members. Photo: Getty Images

Passengers flying to Asia often find Uzbekistan Airways as the most cost-effective option when connecting from the west. For instance, several members of the Indian diaspora choose to transit in Tashkent when flying in from the likes of Paris and London.

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Diverse fleet

Today, Uzbekistan Airways holds the following aircraft in its fleet:

• A320-200 x 9
• A320neo x 3
• ACJ320-200 x 2
• 757-200 x 2
• 767-300(ER) x 7
• 767-300(ERBCF) x 2
• 787-8 x 7
• Il-76TD x 2

According to ch-aviation, the Uzbekistan Airways fleet holds a modest average age of 13.7 years. The oldest family in the group is the 767-300(ERBCF), holding an average age of 25 years. Meanwhile, the newest kid on the block is the A320neo, with these units reporting an average age of 2.3 years.

At 3,278 mi (5,275 km), Uzbekistan Airway’s Tashkent (TAS) to London Heathrow (LHR) service is one of the longest A320neo routes in the world. Photo: Airbus

Just last year, the carrier launched flights with Uzbekistan Express using two Airbus A320s. The subsidiary was formed to handle budget operations for the company. Uzbekistan Airways has also been preparing to sell aged 757 and 767 aircraft in its holdings to renew the fleet in this next generation of global aviation.

So, with these recent initiatives, Uzbekistan Airways is looking to continue writing new chapters in its story. The carrier will be keen to keep maturing with its services this decade.

What are your thoughts about the history of Uzbekistan Airways since its founding? Have you flown with the carrier over the years? Let us know what you think of the airline and its operations in the comment section.

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