He said the budget airline felt that Central Asia and Eastern Europe were huge potential markets and his company had already conducted initial studies in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

"We can do Uzbekistan next year. With the huge Asian network, many people from South-East Asia would want to go to Uzbekistan," he said. He said the leg would open up new lines of tourism and business. He pointed out that the historic city of Samarkand was world famous and attracted tourists.

Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said AirAsia would probably start with three to four flights a week.

On Monday, 17 November, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was on an official visit to Uzbekistan, said he had asked Fernandes to consider flying to Tashkent.