newstodate.aero

Feb 12, 2020 (newstodate): Uzbekistan is keen to develop its  connectivity with the world, going for implementation of open skies policies.
   To support the operations of international routes, the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, the State Committee for Tourism and other departments have been ordered to set up five new airlines by April 1, 2020, in an effort to increase the frequency of flights on existing air routes and launch new destinations.
   The ministry has also decreed the launch of ten new international routes under the Open Skies agreement at all  international airports in Uzbekistan, and this process is to be completed before the beginning of summer 2021.
   Other measures to increase international air traffic at the country's airports include expanding the visa-free regime to more countries and decreasing handling charges levied on foreign airlines by 30-50 percent at the country's airports.
   Replacing the old Soviet-style integrating all aviation-related activities within one single body, functions have already been separated in the form of two separate joint-stock state-owned companies: Uzbekistan Airways and Uzbekistan Airports.
   Uzbekistan Airways is now responsibly only for airline-related activities including fleet, route network, sales, marketing and operations, while Uzbekistan Airports will undertake responsibility for the management of 11 international airports serving Tashkent, Andijan, Fergana, Namangan, Karshi, Termez, Urgench, Nukus, Samarkand, Bukhara and Navoi.
   Equally crucial is the transfer of Uzbek Air Navigation Center to the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.
   All other aviation companies earlier under one hat will be spun-off as separate companies, including the MRO provider Uzbekistan Airways Technics.
   Also part of the new infrastructure, the country's independent State Inspection for Flight Safety Oversight was established as of January 1, 2019.