Air Samarkand gets ready for scheduled flights launch and appoints a new CEO

Air Samarkand is to commence its scheduled flight programme on Thursday, 21st March, operating on the Samarkand - Istanbul - Samarkand route with its Airbus A321neo aircraft. In the initial phase, return services will operate twice a week, departing on Mondays and Thursdays from Samarkand International Airport (SKD) to Istanbul International Airport (IST), with a scheduled flight time of about 5 hours.

Air Samarkand has also announced the appointment of Zafar Butaev as its new CEO, succeeding Anton Khodiayan, who will continue serving as an advisor to the airline while reverting to his position as Director General of the airport management company Air Marakanda.  Zafar Butaev is an Uzbekistani entrepreneur who has spent more than 15 years working in the tourism, hospitality and service sectors, creating two companies that together now employ more than 500 people. Currently, he is also CEO of Silk Road Samarkand, the first multi-functional international tourism centre in Asia. Mr Butaev is a business degree graduate of Tashkent State Economic University and is fluent in four languages.

Istanbul is one of the most sought-after destinations from Samarkand, connecting the largest city in Turkey with Uzbekistan through centuries-old cultural, business and tourism ties. Istanbul airport also offers extensive onward travel opportunities to cities worldwide, and Air Samarkand plans to add further flight options on the city pairing in the near future.

Departures from Samarkand are scheduled for 8 am, arriving in Istanbul at 11.10 am, with return services departing from Istanbul at 12:30 pm and arriving back in Samarkand at 7:00 pm (all are local times).

The inaugural scheduled service marks a significant milestone for any airline, and Air Samarkand will offer passengers a world-class standard of comfort and service on the direct flights. There is also significant demand for tourism, cultural and business customers on this route and Air Samarkand looks forward to developing close commercial ties in Turkey as it establishes this new service.

Its modern Airbus A321 is widely used by leading airlines globally and has a proven record for safety, reliability and exceptional passenger comfort. Air Samarkand will operate the latest 'neo' variant of the A321, which is equipped with the new generation CFM International LEAP-1A engines that ensure low noise levels during the flight. The aircraft accommodates 221 passengers in a full economy-class cabin.

Air Samarkand will be offering customers an unprecedented baggage allowance of two checked bags weighing up to 23kg each, plus 8kg of carry-on cabin baggage.

Tickets for flights to Istanbul are available for purchase at easybooking.uz, as well as at travel agencies connected to the Easy Booking system, and at biletbank.com. Further sales will soon open on the airline's own airsamarkand.com website, as well as on other popular online ticket platforms and aggregators.

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Air Samarkand Receives Air Operator Certificate (AOC)

Carrier readies services from the country's second city

Air Samarkand has moved nearer to the launch of charter flights and scheduled services after receiving its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

The announcement confirms the airline's compliance with the requirements of the country's aviation legislation and with international standards and requirements for flight safety under the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. It follows a thorough audit of the airline's technical documentation, equipment and aircraft systems, preparation for flights, as well as the qualifications of flight and ground personnel by inspectors of the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport.

Anton Khojayan, CEO of Air Samarkand, said:  "We thank the Ministry for Transport and the UzAviation Agency for their thorough assessment of our preparation for flights. Air Samarkand is now a further step nearer to the commencement of services from this incredible, historic city of Samarkand. Everything is now ready for this."

The airline has also officially received its own 'UZS' code from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), as well as the radio call sign 'Samarkand'.

Air Samarkand gets ready for launch with the delivery of second aircraft.

 Airbus A321 arrives for Air Samarkand

Air Samarkand continued its preparations for the launch of new services with the delivery on Saturday 11th November of a second aircraft, an Airbus A321.   

The Uzbekistan-based carrier welcomed the new arrival at Samarkand International Airport, a week after receiving its first A330-300 long-haul wide-body aircraft. By the end of 2023, the airline expects to receive and have up to five aircraft.   

The Airbus A321 is one of the most popular narrow-bodied airliners for short and medium-haul routes and is designed to carry 182 passengers in Economy Class and 12 in Business Class on routes with a range of up to 6,000 km. Air Samarkand will offer an Economy Class seat pitch of at least 31 inches (78.7 cm), providing comfort for even the tallest of passengers.   

The A321 aircraft, like others in the Air Samarkand fleet, is equipped with an in-flight entertainment system with built-in seat-back screens.   

A full-service carrier, Air Samarkand will provide hot meals on all flights, with pillows, blankets and other amenities provided to its customers.   

Air Samarkand will provide those living in one of the oldest cities in Asia and its neighbouring regions with the opportunity to travel direct to popular destinations – beginning with services to cities in Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and China. There will be further expansion into Europe over the next 12 months.   

Air Samarkand will support the further development of the Samarkand region, which is a rapidly emerging tourist and business destination for visitors from all over the world. It forms an essential part of new infrastructure and amenities being developed in the ‘New Uzbekistan’, including the multi-faceted Silk Road Samarkand tourist centre – the first international tourism resort in Central Asia including four and five-star hotels. Neutral 

 

 

A new airline is to launch direct services from Uzbekistan's second-largest city of Samarkand

A new airline is to launch direct services from Uzbekistan's second-largest city of Samarkand, as part of a major tourism and commercial drive for the historic region.

Air Samarkand will operate scheduled and charter flights from Samarkand to a growing number of destinations before the end of 2023 – beginning with services to cities in Turkey, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and China.

Air Samarkand plans further expansion into Europe over the next 12 months as it grows its fleet of Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft. The full-service carrier expects to have five aircraft in operation before the end of 2023.

Bakhtiyor Fazylov, a Uzbek business leader and founder of Air Samarkand, says: "The launch of this new airline is a significant event for the future development of Uzbekistan as a tourism, cultural and business centre. We are delighted to welcome Air Samarkand's first aircraft, which will soon operate competitive direct flights with a safe and quality service to the most popular international destinations."

Located in eastern Uzbekistan, Samarkand is one of the oldest cities in Asia, with its origins said to date back to the seventh or eighth millennium BC. A prosperous centre of the silk trade and situated on the famed Silk Road, it is in the heart of the country's ancient and medieval tourist attractions that exist in Samarkand and the surrounding Bukhara, Khiva, Shakhrisabz, and Zaamin National Park regions.