Uzbekistan Air Cargo Notes | 30 April 2026
- Apr 30
- 3 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 Q1 cargo growth at Uzbek airports, Turkish Airlines' planned suspension of its Central Asian routes and more.
Air Cargo Trends
Uzbek airports report cargo growth in Q1 2026
Uzbekistan's airports handled 19,783 tons of cargo and mail in the first quarter of 2026, representing a 14% year-over-year increase and marking the strongest first-quarter growth rate in three years
The surge in traffic is primarily driven by the rapid expansion of the country's five domestic cargo airlines, which operate a growing fleet of Boeing 757 and 767 freighter aircraft
Chengdu Airlines launched flights to Kyrgyzstan
Chinese carrier Chengdu Airlines, launched direct regular passenger flights ex Kashgar, China to Osh, Kyrgyzstan VV on 28 April 2026
All flights will be operated weekly using Comac C909 equipment
My Freighter partners with global cargo agent ECS Group
Armenian-based full-service carrier Shirak Avia has stepped in to reinstate regular air links between Yerevan and the capitals of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, routes that had been inactive for over 15 years
Flights from Yerevan to Astana officially launched on April 20, with services to Tashkent scheduled to begin in May, operated from the airline's base at Zvartnots International Airport using its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft
Turkish Airlines is set to suspend Central Asian routes
Turkish Airlines will suspend operations to 18 international destinations for the Summer 2026 season, notably halting flights ex Istanbul, Türkiye to Fergana, Uzbekistan, and Turkistan, Kazakhstan, from the end of May until March 2027
Attributed to rising aviation fuel costs and geopolitical instability in the Middle East, the service changes coincide with similar market pressures that recently prompted Thai AirAsia X to reduce flight frequencies to Almaty in Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan airports report robust passenger growth
Uzbekistan's airports handled nearly 4 million passengers and over 30,000 flights in the first quarter of 2026, marking a 19% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic driven primarily by international travel
Tashkent maintained its position as the country's dominant aviation hub by processing over 2.5 million passengers, accounting for 64.2% of the national total, followed by top regional airports in Samarkand, Urgench, Namangan and Fergana
Thai AirAsia X cuts flight frequencies to Kazakhstan due to fuel costs
Thai AirAsia X announced network-wide capacity reductions, including decreased flight frequencies from its Bangkok hub to Almaty, Kazakhstan, citing the need for a strategic realignment in response to geopolitical instability and rising fuel costs
The scale-back on the Kazakhstan route comes shortly after the service was inaugurated last December, and is accompanied by frequency cuts to Delhi, Osaka, and Tokyo, alongside the suspension of flights to Shanghai and Riyadh
Other News
Russia will support new Central Asia rail route
Russia has expressed its readiness to provide technical assistance to Kyrgyzstan for the construction of the ambitious China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, offering technological support, specialist training and the supply of rolling stock
Emphasizing the need to adhere to Eurasian Economic Union railway standards, Russian officials noted that the new transit corridor will significantly boost regional cargo flows by connecting markets across Asia, the Middle East and Europe
More:
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