Since January 20, 2025, Uzbekistan Airways has avoided the airspace over Russia and Belarus on its flights to Europe. Instead, the flight routes now run over Azerbaijan and Turkey. According to the airline, this measure is part of an optimization of the flight routes and serves to increase safety. The decision was made on the recommendation of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as many passengers on flights to Europe are European citizens.
The new routes have been chosen to minimize potential risks and make air travel safer. The airline stresses that the change is not only due to safety concerns, but also represents an improvement in the efficiency of flight planning. Passengers travelling on Uzbekistan Airways flights to Europe can now be assured that their routes are designed in accordance with the latest safety regulations.
The European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, has repeatedly pointed out in the past that the airspace over Russia and Belarus may be unsafe due to political tensions and the geopolitical situation. Uzbekistan Airways is now responding to these recommendations in order to continue serving the European market and meet safety standards.
By switching to the new flight routes, Uzbekistan Airways is demonstrating its responsibility towards international safety guidelines and the interests of passengers. This change affects not only direct flights from Uzbekistan, but also all connections to Europe.