Uzbekistan Airways offers Russians an additional route for their Goa getaway, BA

The commencement of direct flights by Uzbekistan Airways on October 27 will not only bring in tourists from Tashkent but could also attract free independent travellers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Senior officials with Uzbekistan Airways made it clear that their main target is to attract passengers from the main cities of Russia, such as Ufa, Kazan, Novosibirsk, and Irkutsk. “For Goa, we expect incoming passengers from not only Russia but also from Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Almaty, and Astana in Kazakhstan, from the five CIS countries,” said Sabirov Rakhimberdi, the India station manager for Uzbekistan Airways.

Russia’s aviation sector has struggled since Western sanctions were imposed after it invaded Ukraine in 2022. Close to 80 per cent of the passenger fleet of the Russian airlines were built by foreign companies and owned by Western leasing companies. This affected flight operations by Russian airlines.

The Uzbekistan flag carrier senses an opportunity here. “I’ve been told that there was an Aeroflot flight at some point in time, but now we are offering a very unique product connecting not only Uzbekistan and India but also the broader regions of central Asia, and beyond to Russia,” said Uzbekistan ambassador Sardor Rustambaev.

“Russian flights operate only from Moscow and Yekaterinburg. They have two destinations. We are operating from Tashkent, but we can connect to Ufa, Kazan, Novosibirsk, and many more. Russian passengers would have to go to Moscow if they want to fly by Aeroflot. Tashkent is in the middle and closer,” said Rakhimberdi.Aero World Travels, the sales agency for Uzbekistan Airways, said that the airline has already got 35 per cent bookings for the return flight from Goa to Tashkent. The airline is already operating direct flights to Tashkent from Delhi and Mumbai. “Most of the passengers going to this region are students.

They are studying in Kazan, and the flights are full with these students,” said Ajay Arya, the managing director at Aero World Travels. Uzbekistan Airways organised a roadshow in Goa and also plans to take travel agencies, bloggers, and social media influencers from both countries for short visits.