Uzbekistan’s Air Samarkand has announced a direct service from Tashkent to Phú Quốc, the largest island in Vietnam, as part of an expanded partnership with the specialist tour operator, Crystal Bay Tourism.
According to the company's emailed press release, the weekly service, beginning on November 1, departs from Tashkent International Airport every Friday at 11:55 pm and lands in Phú Quốc at 11:00 am local time the next day.
The return journey leaves Phú Quốc at 11:00 am, arriving back in Tashkent by 4:00 pm. Air Samarkand will operate the route with an Airbus A330-300, offering 36 comfort class seats and 277 in economy.
This new route builds upon an earlier collaboration with Crystal Bay, which saw Air Samarkand flights connecting Uzbekistan to the Vietnamese resort city of Nha Trang during the summer season.
The Phú Quốc expansion enables Crystal Bay to diversify its offerings to Uzbek holidaymakers, allowing them greater access to the island’s beaches and tropical attractions.
Through its B2B booking platform, Crystal Bay facilitates package tours available at travel agencies across Uzbekistan, streamlining the process for agents to deliver quality vacation packages.
The airline also recently enhanced its UAE service, moving its Tashkent–Abu Dhabi flights from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi's main Zayed International Airport (AUH), a shift that aims to increase convenience for business and leisure travellers heading to the UAE’s capital.
The 3-hour, 40-minute route utilises an Airbus A321, configured with 12 business and 182 economy seats.
Air Samarkand has also launched a twice-weekly shuttle service between Samarkand and Tashkent, operating on Fridays and Sundays with a 50-minute Airbus A321 flight to support intercity business and leisure travel, enhancing connectivity within Uzbekistan.
“The expansion of our scheduled route network and chartering services provides even greater choice, flexibility, and convenience for our customers in this region, and drives inbound tourists,” stated Zafar Butaev, CEO of Air Samarkand. “We are excited to add new city destinations and countries to our flight map, which we are certain will be popular among both tourists and business travellers.”
Adiljon Melikuziev, CEO of Crystal Bay Uzbekistan, commented on the partnership’s success: “We are delighted to expand our chartering programme with Air Samarkand, which in such a short space of time has established a reputation for delivering good customer service at an affordable price. This agreement will expand on our choice of holiday destinations for sun seekers to a new holiday hotspot in Vietnam.”
Air Samarkand’s route expansion strategy includes an increased number of flights to Istanbul and Jeddah.
After launching services to Jeddah in July to accommodate religious pilgrims, the airline expanded frequencies to seven weekly flights by September, drawing travellers from multiple Uzbek cities.
Moreover, Air Samarkand operates services to the popular Egyptian destination of Sharm El Sheikh using its modern fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft.
Air Samarkand, based at the newly redeveloped Samarkand International Airport, aims to boost tourism and economic activity by providing direct connectivity for residents and visitors with its modern fleet of A330, A321, and A321neo models.
Complementing the airport's redevelopment, Samarkand now hosts the Silk Road Samarkand tourism complex, Central Asia's first international resort with four- and five-star accommodations.
With over three decades of industry experience, Crystal Bay Tourism is a leader in Southeast Asian travel experiences, offering its clients comprehensive services, from accommodations to guided tours.
Follow Daryo's official Instagram and Twitter pages to keep current on world news.
Comments (0)