Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) - Today, on 2 November 2023, an Airbus A330-300 aircraft landed at Samarkand International Airport - the first in the fleet of the new Air Samarkand airline. This event marked the start of her activities.

The plane’s arrival took place during the visit of the Presidents of the Republic of Uzbekistan and France to Samarkand. The aircraft was greeted with a traditional water arch.

The launch of a new airline is a significant event for Uzbekistan. The airliner will be based at Samarkand International Airport and operate flights to the most popular international destinations.

The main goal of Air Samarkand is to provide residents of Samarkand and neighboring regions with the opportunity to travel directly to different countries, and for guests of the country to visit Samarkand, bypassing intermediate points.

“The launch of the new airline is a significant event for the future development of Samarkand as a tourist, cultural and business center,” said Air Samarkand founder Bakhtiyor Fazylov. “We are pleased to welcome the first Air Samarkand aircraft; it will operate competitive direct flights with safe and high-quality service to the most popular international destinations.

Over the past year, we have implemented a large-scale project - the Silk Road Samarkand Tourist Center, which has already begun to bring the tourism potential of the region to a qualitatively new level, combining ancient heritage with modern infrastructure and facilities.

This development will continue with the launch of Air Samarkand services, which will soon directly connect the ancient city with major tourist and commercial centers.”

The Airbus A330 is a modern and reliable aircraft that is used by the world’s leading airlines. They provide exceptional comfort for passengers even on the longest routes.

The aircraft is designed to carry 277 passengers in tourist class and 36 in business class, providing non-stop flights with a range of over 11,500 km.

This type of aircraft features a spacious cabin with two aisles, spacious overhead bins for carry-on luggage, and a passenger entertainment system with built-in screens. At the moment, about 1,600 such machines are successfully operated in the world.

“Our team did everything possible to bring this special day closer. Soon, I am sure, our compatriots will be able to appreciate the high level of service that we are also working on,” said Air Samarkand General Director A. A. Khojayan. “This is an exciting and long-awaited moment for the airline and for the city.” The Airbus A330 is a popular aircraft, so it was quite difficult to find and purchase an aircraft that would meet our high requirements. But we succeeded!”

The Air Samarkand airline is part of a large overall development project for the Samarkand region, within the framework of which a new airport has already been built in the city, the Samarkand tourist center Silk Road Samarkand, and a number of other facilities are being built. As the past year has shown, a large-scale project has already brought the region’s tourism potential to a new level and continues development in this direction.

In the coming days, Air Samarkand expects the arrival of a second aircraft: it will be an Airbus A321, designed for medium-haul routes. In total, by the end of 2023 the company plans to receive and put into operation up to 5 aircraft.

Regular and charter flights from Samarkand to a number of foreign destinations are planned for the autumn-winter navigation period, including cities in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Turkey and China. Air Samarkand pays special attention to flight safety, comfort and service for passengers.