Malaysian Airlines Request “Fifth Freedom” Rights from Uzbekistan to Expand Flights and Tourism

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Malaysian airlines have requested that Uzbekistan grant so-called “fifth freedom” rights to expand air traffic and boost tourism.

The announcement was made on 17 January by Uzbekistan’s ambassador to Malaysia, Karomidin Gadoev, during a meeting with diplomats and business representatives.

The ambassador highlighted the growing interest of Malaysian tourists in Uzbekistan and stressed the need to actively promote the country’s image through informational tours involving international tourism associations and media outlets. According to him, such tours could include representatives from major television networks and media platforms producing series about Uzbekistan’s regions, though partial coverage of domestic expenses by businesses would be necessary for their effective implementation.

Gadoev also noted that Uzbekistan’s presence at tourism exhibitions, such as the World Islamic Tourism Conference and MATTA Fair, remains insufficient and proposed providing support to travel companies in securing exhibition space on preferential terms.

The ambassador pointed out the increase in flights between the two countries: two years ago, there were three weekly flights, while currently there are eight. Routes to Samarkand and Bukhara are being considered; however, Malaysian airlines indicate that the return flow of tourists remains insufficient, making one-way flights potentially unprofitable.

To address this challenge, Gadoev proposed granting fifth freedom rights, allowing airlines to transport passengers, mail, and cargo through a third country. This would enable the organization of pilgrimage tours through Uzbekistan with subsequent return of tourists from Saudi Arabia.

He also emphasized the need to develop halal tourism infrastructure, noting that Uzbekistan currently has too few restaurants and hotels fully meeting halal standards, which is critical for Malaysian tourists.

It is worth noting that on 9 January, Uzbekistan introduced subsidies to develop pilgrimage tourism and outlined plans to attract 100,000 tourists from Indonesia and Malaysia over the next two years as part of the “Umrah Plus” pilgrimage program.