Etihad Airways launches new daily service to major city

Etihad Airways has inaugurated frequent direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Tashkent, marking the first route of the UAE national airline to Uzbekistan. The inaugural service, sold out immediately, was met with approval from the airline, which aims to capitalize on growing travel demand between the UAE and Central Asia. Flight EY830 departs Zayed International Airport in Abu Dhabi at 8:35 PM, touching down in Tashkent at 2:05 AM the following morning.

In the reverse direction, EY831 leaves Tashkent at 3:25 AM, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 6:55 AM. Both flights operate daily using an Airbus A320, covering a distance of approximately four and a half hours. Effective September 1, the schedule will adjust slightly, with EY830 now departing Abu Dhabi at 9:20 PM and arriving in Tashkent at 1:50 AM, while the return flight will depart Tashkent at 3:35 AM, touching down in Abu Dhabi at 6:25 AM.

This expansion of Etihad's network in Central Asia coincides with growing interest in Uzbekistan as a tourism and business destination. Frank Meyer, Etihad's chief digital officer, hailed the launch as a significant milestone, emphasizing Uzbekistan's rich cultural heritage, tourism appeal, and increasing economic importance. The route was introduced to address the rising demand for travel between Uzbekistan, the UAE, and other international markets, with Abu Dhabi offering onward connections to Europe, North America, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, and the Levant.

Additionally, a new codeshare agreement between Etihad and Uzbekistan Airways enables Etihad passengers to connect through Tashkent to eight other destinations in Uzbekistan, including key cities like Andijan, Bukhara, Fergana, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Termez, and Urgench. While Etihad is not the sole UAE carrier serving Tashkent, Emirates and flydubai also operate direct flights between Dubai and the Uzbek capital, and Air Arabia serves the city from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, alongside Uzbekistan Airways' daily services from Tashkent to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.