Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Uzbekistan Airlines significantly increased air cargo to compensate for financial losses due to the suspension of passenger traffic, UzA reported.
In connection with the announcement of lockdown measures, international and domestic passenger were suspended on March 16 and on March 22.
“In January-April, the volume of cargo transportation by Uzbekistan Airways topped 4,650 tons, which is 15 times more than in the same period last year. And the number of flights was 142, which is 24 times to the past year,” the statement said.
Four Boeing-767 passenger aircraft were adapted for cargo transportation in order to increase the export of services and airline revenues.
It was noted that using these aircrafts for transporting of more than 60 tons of cargo per year will allow to make US$ 120 million. Only from May 13 to 25, 83.3 tons of fruits and textile products were exported by air to Moscow, Shanghai, Dubai, Seoul and Bangkok.
Currently, Uzbekistan Airways is operating regular air cargo transportation on Tashkent-Navoi-Dubai, Tashkent-Namangan-Moscow, Tashkent-Seoul, Tashkent-Shanghai, Tashkent-Beijing, Tashkent–London routes.
