Uzbeki private airline to serve Tashkent–London route for the first time

Image: Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan-based privately owned carrier Qanot Sharq (IATA code: HH) will launch regular flights between Tashkent and London, the Ministry of Transport of the Central Asian republic has revealed.

This marks the first time a private airline from the country has received permission to operate scheduled flights to the United Kingdom.

Twice-weekly flights from Tashkent’s Islam Karimov Airport (TAS) will operate to London Gatwick (LGW) starting 15 December.

Notably, the airline plans to deploy a new aircraft type on the route – the Airbus A321XLR long-range narrowbody – following the expected delivery of its first example.

The launch of the new flights became possible after the aviation authorities of Uzbekistan and the United Kingdom agreed to increase the number of carriers operating scheduled services between the countries. The agreement was reached during an informal meeting held at the ICAO Air Services Negotiation Event (ICAN2024) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last year.

CentralAsia+ Aero earlier reported: Dedicated Uzbek airport hosted its first foreign leader flight and got new name.