Uzbekistan Airways will operate only Boeing, Airbus
By Kamila Aliyeva
Uzbekistan’s national airline, Uzbekistan Airways, will operate only two types of aircraft - Boeing and Airbus - within the framework of the new development concept, Uzbek media outlets reported referring to a source in the company.
"We have adopted a new concept of development. Now we intend to use Airbus A-320 aircraft on domestic and international long-haul lines. We have nine such planes, they fly from 2010-2011. On ultra-long routes we will use Boeing 787 and 767,” the source explained.
It is not cost-effective to introduce new types of aircraft, as it is necessary to prepare a new infrastructure, retrain the flight squad, technical staff, flight attendants, according to the airline representative. All this work will require large financial investments, the source added.
Uzbekistan Airways plans to receive two Airbus A320 neo planes in December 2018. These will be the newest in its segment aircraft, equipped with wi-fi and monitors in each seat. Airbus A320 neo is designed for 150 people, with 12 of them in the business class, and 138 - in the economic class.
They will be 20 percent more economical than their predecessors thanks to new, more economical engines and modern developments in the design of the fuselage. Their flight range is increased from 4,500 to more than 6,000 kilometers, which will cover the whole Central European region.
In the second half of 2019, the airline's fleet is expected to replenish with two new Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. And with the receipt of the sixth Dreamliner in the beginning of 2020, the national air company will become the leading operator of this type of aircraft in the CIS countries.
The Airbus A320 neo is a version of the narrow-body Airbus A320 equipped with new engines, more economical and environmentally friendly than the base model, produced in 2014.
Uzbekistan Airways was established on January 28, 1992 upon the presidential decree, wholly owned by the state.
The aircraft fleet of the Uzbek airline currently consists of modern and comfortable Boeing-757/767, Boeing-787-8 Dreamliner, A320 aircraft, as well as cargo plane Boeing-767-300BCF.
The Uzbek airline operates flights to over 20 cities in Europe, America, the Middle East, Asia, 22 cities of the CIS countries and 11 destinations on local airlines.
Uzbekistan Airways has 11 airports located on the territory of Uzbekistan, six of which are international. The company has representative offices in 25 countries.
Uzbekistan Airways transported more than 2.703 million passengers in 2017. Last year, Uzbekistan Airways performed 22,950 flights compared to 22,387 flights in 2016.
---
Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz