Uzbekistan carrier Qanot Sharq Airlines is set to become the second airline to connect Tashkent and the Big Apple. The airline, which operates a fleet of seven aircraft, will fly between Tashkent International Airport (TAS) and New York JFK Airport (JFK) from the beginning of May. The airline will follow Uzbekistan Airways, which also serves the route.

Qanot Sharq recently filed its intentions to serve the city pair, and will operate a twice-weekly rotation with its Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The flights will depart from Tashkent on Wednesdays and Sundays, returning from New York the same day. The non-stop services take around 13 hours to New York, and 12 hours for the return.

Qanot Sharq Airbus A330-200

Credit: Flickr

This relatively unknown airline operates a fleet of seven aircraft according to ch-aviation, and two widebody airplanes, being the A330-200. These are configured in a two-class layout, with 18 seats in business class, 248 in economy, for a total capacity of 266 onboard.

Serving destinations around Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, Qanot Sharq’s foray into the United States market will see New York be another route served by its widebody planes after the likes of Phuket, Istanbul, Moscow, and Medina. Aeroroutes reported on the airline’s New York schedule, as below:

Airbus A330-200: 266 Passengers Onboard

Credit: Qanot Sharq Airlines

The airline has a relatively modest reputation as a solid, budget-friendly, and reliable carrier. The airline has a range of aircraft from the Airbus family, and while some newer aircraft are more modern onboard, the overall consensus is that the carrier has reasonable ticket prices and polite crew, as critiqued by Forgot My Passport on YouTube.

Qanot Sharq’s two Airbus A330-200’s were both delivered to the carrier in 2024, leased from Air Lease Corporation. The second-hand planes first began their life with Air China back in 2011. The two airplanes now carry registration UK33020 (serial number 1237) and UK33021 (serial number 1260). Further details on these two widebodies below as per ch-aviation:

Qanot Sharq Airlines will compete head-to-head with Uzbekistan flag carrier Uzbekistan Airlines on its new route to New York. Uzbekistan Airways will hold the majority of operations on the city pair, given its five weekly flights during the summer season. This route is served by the Boeing 787-8 aircraft.

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Learning More About Qanot Sharq Airlines

Credit: Qanot Sharq Airlines

Qanot Sharq operates regular scheduled international flights from Tashkent and Samarkand. The airline was first launched back in 1998 with an Ilyushin II-76 cargo aircraft; it ultimately ceased operations in 2012. The airline was reborn in 2021, following the lease of two Airbus A320-200 from ALC. Its first relaunched route was between Tashkent and Moscow Vnukovo International Airport (VKO).

Fleet data identifies the carrier operates two Airbus A320-200, two A321neo, one A321XLR (with another three on order), and two additional A321LR on order. These newer aircraft are part of the carrier fleet renewal programme and the gradual expansion of the airline’s operations.

According to the carrier’s website, it serves around 27 destinations, including Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, and various destinations within its home country of Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is a double landlocked country located in Central Asia, and is home to around 38 million people. The Pew Research Center estimates that up to 30,000 people of Uzbek descent reside in the wider New York metropolitan area.