flydubai inaugurated its new service from Dubai to Tashkent becoming the first carrier based in the UAE to offer direct flights to Uzbekistan. The inaugural flight departed on 11 March from Terminal 3, Dubai International (DXB) and was welcomed on arrival at Tashkent International Airport (TAS). The route to Tashkent will operate five times a week from Terminal 3 at Dubai International and will become a daily service from 31 May 2019.
Commenting on the occasion, Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer of flydubai, said: “Uzbekistan is an important trade partner for the UAE and the start of flights to Tashkent represents a significant milestone in helping to strengthen commercial ties between us. We are pleased to be the first UAE carrier to launch direct flights between Dubai and Tashkent, opening up another underserved market in Central Asia and supporting Dubai’s vision of creating flows of travel and trade.”
flydubai has been flying to Central Asia since 2010 and the region has become an important trade partner with increasing demand for travel and tourism. Total overnight visitors from Uzbekistan to Dubai in 2018 increased by 6.3% compared to 2017. In addition, Uzbekistan has already established itself as the fourth largest source market for visitors to Dubai from the region.
Emirates will codeshare on this route and for bookings under the codeshare Emirates passengers will receive complimentary meals and the Emirates checked baggage allowance on flights operated by flydubai in Business and Economy class. The partnership between flydubai and Emirates announced in 2017 has expanded to meet increasing demand as passengers realise the benefits, such as access to an expanded global network, the convenience of travelling on a single ticket with seamless point to point baggage handling, the alignment of the frequent flyer programme and a smooth transfer during transit in Dubai.
