Uzbekistan Air Cargo Notes | 29 January 2026
- Nadira Islamova
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
Welcome to this week's edition of Uzbekistan Air Cargo Notes, the first and only newsletter focusing on the latest news and insights into the dynamic air cargo market of Uzbekistan and Central Asia. This week, we are reporting on Uzbekistan’s private airlines expanding to Europe, Dubai Aerospace Enterprise leasing aircraft to Somon Air and more.
Air Cargo Trends
Uzbekistan’s private airlines are set to expand services to Europe
Uzbekistan-based private carriers Centrum Air and Qanot Sharq scheduled the launch of direct passenger flights ex Tashkent, Uzbekistan to key European destinations, starting in late March 2026
The airlines planned to operate regular services to Frankfurt using Airbus A321-family aircraft, competing directly with Uzbekistan Airways on major European routes
DAE is set to lease two Boeing aircrafts to Somon Air
Dubai Aerospace Enterprise confirmed a lease agreement with Tajik carrier Somon Air for two Boeing 737-8 passenger aircraft, with deliveries scheduled later this year to support network expansion
The deal followed Somon Air’s January 2025 announcement and complemented the airline’s broader growth plans, including a commitment to order 10 additional Boeing 737-8 aircraft, as passenger traffic exceeded 1 million for the first time last year
Air Astana is planned to use AI for ground operations
Kazakhstan’s flag carrier, Air Astana, planned to deploy Artificial Intelligence to optimize its ground operations using the easie platform by Dutch company ICRON
The platform integrates personnel and equipment planning, enabling the airline to create optimized shift schedules, coordinate operations across multiple stations, and respond faster to operational changes in real time
Kazakhstan is set to complete three resort airports
Kazakhstan plans to finish Katon-Karagay, Zaysan, and Kenderli airports in 2026 each featuring modern terminals, runways, and aircraft stands
The new airports will support 15 international routes including Vienna, Rome, and Shanghai, boosting the country’s tourism and regional connectivity
Other News
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan plan to build logistics hub
Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport and the Public-Private Partnership Center are developing a feasibility study for a logistics center at the Fotekhobod–Oybek border crossing
The project’s preparation is funded by the Eurasian Development Bank, with timelines and costs to be determined after the feasibility study is completed
Turkmenistan experienced record container shipments
Over 21,000 container shipments passed through Turkmenistan in 2025 including transit, export, and import flows, marking a significant year-on-year increase
Development of the Caspian Sea–Black Sea corridor and strengthened port cooperation with Azerbaijan aims to boost multimodal transport and regional trade
More:
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