Uzbekistan Airways wet leases two A330 Aircraft from Qanot Sharq
Uzbekistan Airways (HY, Tashkent International) has entered into a one-year wet-lease agreement for two A330-200s from local airline Qanot Sharq (HH, Tashkent International), resulting in Qanot Sharq’s now-exclusive focus on narrowbody operations.
The first of the two aircraft, UK-33020 (MSN 1237), started its service with Uzbekistan Airways on May 20, operating the Tashkent International-Istanbul Airport-Tashkent route. This aircraft, with a seating capacity of up to 265 passengers, including 18 in business class, is a unique addition to the fleet. It also features a hybrid livery, showcasing a blend of Uzbekistan Airways branding and its previous operator, Qanot Sharq. Before this, UK-33020 was last used by Qanot Sharq on April 25, 2024, primarily for leisure and Umrah charter flights over just over two months.
The second aircraft, UK-33021 (MSN 1260), arrived in Tashkent in mid-December 2023 but has not been operational since its delivery. Both A330s share the same seating configuration and were previously part of Air China’s fleet, being nearly 13 years old.
Shukhrat Khudaykulov, the chief executive of Uzbekistan Airways, shared the airline’s plans, stating, “The decision to incorporate A330 aircraft is a strategic move that aligns with our development strategy. We aim to expand our route network and increase flight frequencies, to achieve consistent annual growth. This will ensure that Uzbekistan Airways remains one of the most reliable and safe international carriers.”
The state-owned airline’s widebody fleet currently includes five B767-300ERs and seven B787-8s, and no new orders for widebody aircraft are pending.
After leasing out the two A330s, Qanot Sharq now operates a narrowbody fleet consisting of two A320-200s and two A321-200NXs.
“Uzbekistan Airways wet-leases two A330s”, Ch-Aviation News. Read more