Tashkent International Airport received the first regular flight from the Turkish airline SunExpress, opening a direct air connection on the Izmir–Tashkent–Izmir route. The first flight to the capital of Uzbekistan arrived with 170 passengers, and 169 passengers departed for Izmir on the return flight.
To celebrate the launch of the new route, the aircraft was traditionally greeted with a jet of water cannons. A festive reception with national delicacies and a themed photo zone was organized in the terminal for the first passengers.
The launch of this route marks the first direct regular air connection between Tashkent and Izmir. Flights will operate four times a week—on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays—using Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
Representatives of Uzbekistan Airports noted that SunExpress's entry into the Uzbek market is an important step in expanding the route network of the capital's airport. The company emphasized that the appearance of another Turkish carrier will strengthen competition on the line between Uzbekistan and Turkey, where Turkish Airlines and AJet already operate, while simultaneously increasing flight options and lowering ticket prices for passengers.
SunExpress was founded in 1989 as a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa. The airline, based in Antalya and Izmir, operates regular flights to over 250 destinations in 37 countries across Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.
