Uzbekistan’s passenger airline startup, Centrum Air, is set to transform its operations with the introduction of a hub-and-spoke model starting from the summer 2025 schedule. CEO Hussein Sherif Fahmi announced plans to position Tashkent as a key transit hub connecting East and West, leveraging Uzbekistan’s strategic location.
Centrum Air’s new route network will include an expanded presence in China, with flights to Sanya added to its existing service to Guangzhou. In Asia, new routes will connect passengers to Seoul and Bangkok.
The airline also plans to broaden its footprint in the Middle East with flights to El Alamein in northern Egypt, Antalya, Istanbul, and Tel Aviv. These destinations will complement its current operations in Sharm El-Sheikh, Medina, Jeddah, Dubai, and Doha.
In the post-Soviet region, Centrum Air will introduce flights to Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Novosibirsk, Almaty, Astana, Batumi, Tbilisi, and Dushanbe. The airline is also making strides into Europe, with plans to launch routes to Copenhagen, Frankfurt, and Milan.
“We anticipate that around 25% of passengers will transit through Tashkent,” Fahmi told CentralAsia+Aero.
To support its growth, Centrum Air is scaling up its fleet. The airline has just taken delivery of another Airbus A320ceo, equipped with 180 seats and powered by CFM56 engines. The aircraft, registered as UK32073, brings the airline’s fleet to four A320ceos and two A321neos.
By July 2025, Centrum Air plans to add two A321ceos, two A320neos, one A321neo, and three A330-300 widebody aircraft, more than doubling its fleet capacity.
The new hub-and-spoke strategy underscores Centrum Air’s ambition to capitalize on Tashkent’s geographic advantage as a transit hub. With an expanded fleet and diverse route offerings, the airline aims to attract both regional and international travelers, bridging global markets through Uzbekistan.
Earlier, the Ministry of Economy and Finance forecasted growth for Uzbekistan Airports in 2024, projecting a 30% rise in net profit to UZS 511.3bn ($40mn). Flight operations were expected to increase by 27%, reaching 109,300 flights, with passenger numbers also up 27% to 11.8mn. Revenue was anticipated at UZS 6.45 trillion ($502.8mn), with expenses of UZS 5.93 trillion ($462.3mn), ensuring robust profitability.
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