Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Starting from 20 January, Uzbekistan Airways has altered its flight routes to Europe, excluding overflights of Russian territory. This was announced by the company’s chairman, Shukhrat Khudaikulov.

The decision was made based on a report from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which flagged flights over the European part of Russia as unsafe. The new routes now pass southward, through Azerbaijan and Türkiye.

Khudaikulov noted that these changes increase flight times by 30–40 minutes and raise the airline’s costs, but passenger fares have not been increased due to the exceptional nature of the situation.

Uzbekistan Airways continuously monitors airspace safety. As Khudaikulov emphasized, the flight control center analyzes real-time data. If a route is deemed unsafe, immediate decisions are made to change it.

Earlier, a special commission was established under the leadership of the Prime Minister to analyze the situation following the Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Kazakhstan. The commission includes representatives from the Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Transport, Uzaviasiya, and other entities.

Khudaikulov stressed that all of the airline’s flights are conducted with the highest safety measures. Currently, unsafe zones include Ukraine, the European part of Russia, and certain mountainous regions of Asia due to weather conditions.

Additionally, alternative or backup routes have been developed for all flights to ensure passenger safety.