Central Asian Expansion: Qatar Airways Adds Tashkent To Its Summer Schedule

Qatar Airways has announced the addition of Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan; the route was initially set to debut on January 17th, 2022, but has now been added to its summer 2024 schedule.

The flight will operate on a four-times-weekly basis as QR377 and will be flown by Qatar’s Airbus A320s, departing Doha at 19:50 and arriving in Tashkent at 01:20. The flight will run on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The return leg, QR378, will depart from the Uzbek capital at 03:20 and arrive in Doha at 05:20 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

While the reason the route was postponed is unclear, it appears the new addition comes as bilateral cooperation is strengthening between both countries. The Gulf state opened its embassy in Tashkent on May 7, 2023, according to The Diplomatic Insight.

Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori had this to say about the new destination,

“The launch of the new route to Tashkent is a testament to our commitment to continuously growing our network and expanding to new corners of the world. Tashkent provides our passengers travelling from Europe, the Middle East, and the Americas, with the opportunity to visit Uzbekistan and the Central Asian region, and explore the cultural wonders these destinations offer. Travellers flying with Qatar Airways can now avail the option to fly to Tashkent as their gateway to the region, and we look forward to future opportunities of growth in Central Asia.”

Simple Flying has reached out to Tashkent Airport and Qatar Airways for comment.

A diverse route network

The Qatari flag carrier boasts an impressive route network, with 160 destinations on all six inhabited continents. The announcement boosts its Central Asian network as the airline already operates a double-daily flight to Almaty using its fleet of A320s. Passengers using the new route can now connect onward via Hamad Airport to destinations worldwide.

QR operates a wide range of aircraft, including the A380, which was reactivated in 2022.

Related

Qatar Airways Flies The Airbus A380 Ahead Of Return To Service

A world-class airline

Frequent flyers consider the state-owned airline to be a world-class carrier. This means that the quality of service and the complex product are among the best in the world. The Doha-based flag carrier is certified by Skytrax as a 5-star airline. It even won the Best Business Class 2023 award, also delivered by Skytrax.

One of the things that makes the travel experience so unique is the QSuite, the airline’s flagship business class product available on select Boeing 777-300ER, all 787-9s, and the fleet of A350s. Passengers sitting at the back will also travel comfortably with ample legroom and a comprehensive selection of movies, music, and series through the carrier’s inflight entertainment system, Oryx One.

Uzbek Aviation is on the way up

Aside from the added connectivity to Tashkent, aviation in the Central Asian state has been developing in the past few years.

Uzbekistan Airways (HY), the flag carrier, plans to extend its flagship route to New York JFK from three weekly rotations to five, showing a strong recovery from the downturn caused by the pandemic and highlighting the country’s desire to develop tourism.

The second-largest city in Uzbekistan, Samarkand, is looking to attract visitors thanks to the newly-formed eponymous full-service operator Air Samarkand. Its fleet consists of A320s and A330s and is due to commence operations in April this year. It plans to schedule flights to China, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, the UAE, and other Asian and European countries.

With added connectivity and increasing interest in the aviation industry, 2024 looks promising for the Silk Road country.