Air Samarkand soars to new heights with granted Air Operator Certificate (AOC)

Friday, December 29, 2023

Air Samarkand is poised to initiate charter flights and scheduled services following the acquisition of its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport. This announcement underscores the airline’s adherence to both domestic aviation legislation and global standards for flight safety as outlined in the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation. The validation process included a comprehensive audit of the airline’s technical documentation, equipment, aircraft systems, flight preparedness, and the qualifications of both flight and ground personnel conducted by inspectors from the Uzbekistan Ministry of Transport.

Expressing gratitude to the Ministry for Transport and the UzAviation Agency for their meticulous evaluation of the airline’s flight readiness, Anton Khojayan, CEO of Air Samarkand, remarked, “With this confirmation, Air Samarkand is now one step closer to commencing services from the enchanting and historically rich city of Samarkand. All the necessary preparations are in place for this milestone.”

Additionally, Air Samarkand has been officially assigned the ‘UZS’ code by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), along with the radio call sign ‘Samarkand’.

Mr. Khojayan emphasized the airline’s strategic planning over the past year, focusing on recruiting a seasoned airline leadership team and a skilled flight and cabin crew. The objective is to provide passengers with an outstanding in-flight experience. With ambitious plans for rapid development, Air Samarkand aims to offer safe, direct, and high-quality services to an expanding list of cities in Asia and Europe as operations ramp up.

The airline will initially commence operations with charter flights from Uzbekistan’s second-largest city before introducing scheduled services in the Spring. Destinations will include popular locations in Turkey, southeast Asia, China, and more. Over the first 12 months of operations, expansion plans include connecting Samarkand with major cities in Europe. Air Samarkand has already begun building a noteworthy fleet of modern, fuel-efficient Airbus aircraft, including the recent additions of an Airbus A330-300 for long-haul flights and an A321 for short and medium-haul operations.

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