AirAsia Plans Direct Flights Between Samarkand and Kuala Lumpur

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Acting Hokim of Samarkand Region, Adiz Boboev, met with Kamarudin bin Meranun, Executive Chairman of Capital A Berhad and AirAsia Berhad, and CEO of the AirAsia X project, to discuss bilateral cooperation, particularly in tourism development and air connectivity.

During the meeting, Boboev highlighted the region’s focus on pilgrimage tourism, noting that the upcoming opening of the Imam Bukhari complex will further expand opportunities in this sector. He also expressed readiness to collaborate with Malaysian partners in developing modern hotels and improving service standards for visitors.

Kamarudin bin Meranun, visiting Samarkand for the second time, emphasized the city’s appeal to tourists from Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Muslim countries. He noted that AirAsia recently launched flights on the Tashkent–Kuala Lumpur route (three times weekly) and expressed interest in establishing direct flights between Samarkand and Kuala Lumpur in the near future.

Kamarudin, who acquired a small struggling airline in 2001 and transformed it into Asia’s first low-cost carrier, currently leads Capital A Berhad and AirAsia Berhad, actively expanding international air services.

The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to strengthen cooperation in tourism and proceed with plans to launch direct air connectivity between Samarkand and Kuala Lumpur.