Changi Airport exploring resumption of direct flights between Singapore and Uzbekistan

Straits Times

31-05-2025

Post-pandemic, interest in establishing air links with Uzbekistan and other parts of Central Asia reignited as the region's aviation sector grew rapidly. PHOTO: ST FILE
Changi Airport exploring resumption of direct flights between Singapore and Uzbekistan
SINGAPORE - Singapore airport officials are considering restarting direct flights to Uzbekistan as travel demand to the Central Asian country grows.
A spokeswoman for Changi Airport Group (CAG) told The Straits Times on May 29 that the operator is in the early stages of exploring the resumption of services to Uzbekistan, and will provide more details when available.
Uzbekistan, she noted, has 'strong destination appeal' and is experiencing burgeoning travel demand.
'Central Asia is a growing region that CAG is looking at developing direct flights to,' she added.
Uzbekistan's state-owned airport operator, Uzbekistan Airports, said on May 20 that it had discussed the prospect of opening up a flight route between Singapore and Tashkent, Uzbekistan's capital, with CAG representatives.
The operator added that CAG had expressed 'high interest' in relaunching direct flights between the two cities amid growing interest in Uzbekistan as a tourist destination.
Particular attention was paid to Tashkent International Airport's role as a strategic transit point for passenger flows between Europe and Asia during the talks .
Uzbekistan Airports said it has agreed to work with CAG on issues related to logistics and marketing, and to clarify the regulatory procedures needed to launch the flights.
Uzbekistan Airways previously operated a twice-weekly service that plied a circular route between Tashkent, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
But the airline dropped the Singapore leg in April 2019 due to low traffic from Changi. This was despite Singapore citizens being allowed to enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30 days since 2018.
Post-pandemic, interest in establishing air links with Uzbekistan and other parts of Central Asia reignited as the region's aviation sector grew rapidly.
The boom has been driven in part by Russian airspace closures, which has led to airlines passing through or flying over Central Asia.
Another factor is the liberalisation of air transport there, with more flights by foreign airlines and new local carriers sprouting up to take advantage of the new traffic.
In 2023, Changi Airports International, the consultancy and investment arm of CAG, inked a deal with Uzbekistan Airports to optimise operations at Tashkent International Airport and develop a feasibility study for a new airport project.
Former president Halimah Yacob and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam also spoke favourably in 2023 and 2024 about plans by Kazakhstan's flag carrier Air Astana to launch direct flights to Singapore, though this has yet to happen.
Independent analyst Brendan Sobie of Sobie Aviation said passenger traffic between Uzbekistan and South-east Asia has more than doubled since 2019. But without a direct air link, Changi Airport has not benefited from this growth.
There are non-stop flights from Tashkent to Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc in Vietnam; Phuket and Bangkok in Thailand; and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.
The Kuala Lumpur-Tashkent market is also set to expand, with budget airline AirAsia planning to join Batik Air Malaysia and Uzbekistan Airways in offering non-stop flights between the two cities. Malaysia Airlines recently included the route in its long-term network plan as well.
In 2024, Tashkent International Airport handled more than 8.7 million domestic and international passengers. In 2019, it handled fewer than five million.
Mr Sobie, however, warned that a direct Singapore-Tashkent route will not be easy to sustain. Uzbekistan does not attract many Singaporeans, and most Uzbeks travelling to South-east Asia are price-sensitive holidaymakers, he said.
Hence, a viable Singapore-Tashkent flight will need to rely heavily on passengers transiting through Singapore to leisure destinations in South-east Asia.
In his view, this makes Singapore Airlines (SIA) or its low-cost arm Scoot the more feasible options to operate the route.
But whether the airline group will take such a risk remains to be seen.
In response to queries, SIA Group said it regularly reviews its network operations and will adjust them in response to travel demand. Uzbekistan Airways did not respond to queries.
Travel agencies said a non-stop flight to Tashkent will mean greater convenience and a shorter flight time of seven hours, compared with more than 10 hours today, with stopovers in places such as Kuala Lumpur or Dubai.
For tour operators, a direct flight will cut costs, simplify logistics and allow shorter itineraries, said Singapore-based travel agency Adventures Unlimited.
'Overtourism in Europe and Japan has prompted travellers to seek unique experiences. Central Asia's attractions, visa-free access, affordability and exotic cultures appeal to adventurous travellers,' it added.
Mr Ganesha Balakrishnan, who owns Kyrgyzstan-based travel agency The Untold Direction, said there are still factors deterring Singaporeans from visiting Central Asia, such as cultural unfamiliarity and misconceptions about safety.
Yet interest in the region is growing steadily.
The Untold Direction, which has a mostly Singaporean and Malaysian clientele, ran more than 30 tours in Central Asia in 2024. So far in 2025, it has confirmed more than 50 tours.
Mr Balakrishan said there is also a sizeable Uzbek diaspora in Singapore that could benefit from a non-stop flight.
It is a similar story for Chan Brothers Travel, which offers nine tours to Central Asia.
Ms Tan Jie Ni, the agency's marketing communications executive, noted broad enthusiasm for tours to the region not only from seasoned travellers, but also from multi-generational groups and young professionals.
Recognising this, it launched a chartered direct flight between Singapore and Tashkent in December 2024, which led to a 20 per cent increase in tour bookings.
The agency will sign an agreement in July with Bhutan flag carrier Drukair to operate four such chartered flights in 2025, with the aim of taking more than 500 travellers from Singapore to Uzbekistan and the wider Central Asian region.
Kok Yufeng is a transport correspondent at The Straits Times.
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