Summary
- Air Samarkand introduces a new route to Jeddah, connecting pilgrims to holy sites for convenient travel and spiritual growth.
- The airline operates double flights daily Airbus aircraft, focusing on tourism and cultural ties between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia.
- Strategic fleet usage and travel offerings cater to the demand for Islamic cultural tourism and enhance historical ties between the two countries.
Uzbekistan airline Air Samarkand has spread its wings further by launching flights from its home base to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. On Tuesday, the new route connected Samarkand to Jeddah using an Airbus A321neo, marking a new milestone in the fledgling airline’s operations to support religious pilgrims.
A new pilgrim route
On July 30, Air Samarkand flight 9S401 departed Samarkand International Airport at 00:30 and, after a 4:26-hour flight, arrived in Saudi Arabia at Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport (JED) at 02:56. The flight was operated by a 2017 Airbus A321neo, registration UK32121 and MSN 07746.
Photo: Air Samarkand
The aircraft was in Jeddah for nearly three hours before departing JED as flight 9S402 at 05:43, arriving home in Samarkand at 11:49. A second rotation departed SKD at 15:43 and returned at 03:01 on Wednesday. The new-generation narrowbody has recently flown services from Samarkand to Istanbul (Turkey), Sharm-el-Sheikh (Egypt), Tbilisi and Batumi (Georgia) and Islamabad in Pakistan.
The schedule now operates with two return flights daily, and the inaugural flights represent a significant step in strengthening aviation links between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. It is also a significant step for Uzbek Muslims, who now have a convenient way to visit Mecca and Medina, the most revered holy sites in the Islamic world. Air Samarkand CEO Zafar Butaev said:
“We are proud to offer our passengers new opportunities for travel and spiritual growth with new flights that strengthen the ties between Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. There is growing interest worldwide in Islamic cultural tourism, so we are meeting that need with these new services, which will build on the unique historical legacy and ties between our two countries.”
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An effective fleet
Air Samarkand has just three Airbus aircraft, including an A321-200, an A321neo and a widebody A330-300. The A321-200 has 194 seats in a two-class layout of 12 business and 182 economy, the A321neo has an all-economy cabin of 221 seats, and the A330 has 36 business class seats and 277 economy. The fleet has an average age of just over ten years, and there is one A320-200 on order.
Photo: Air Samarkand
The A330 is mainly used on double-daily services from Samarkand to Tashkent International Airport (TAS), which serves Uzbekistan’s capital city. The 313-seat widebody has also operated flights to Istanbul (IST), Cairo (CAI), Sharm-el-Shiekh (SSH) and Nha Trang (CXR) in Vietnam.
The airline plans to use the A330-300 on flights from Samarkand to Medina’s Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport (MED) in August, operating the route with Uzbekistan’s EasyBooking agency. Air Samarkand launched in March this year with A321neo flights to Istanbul to support a major tourism and commercial drive for its historic home city.
Photo: Air Samarkand
It also exists to give Samarkand residents and those from nearby areas nonstop flights to popular destinations in Europe and Asia, thereby avoiding time-consuming connections in Tashkent and other regional hubs. Jeddah is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia and, as well as being a pilgrimage destination, its Red Sea Corniche resort attracts tourists to its luxurious hotels, beaches and shopping centers.