In connection with the announcement of quarantine in Uzbekistan, international flights were suspended from March 16 this year and domestic passenger transportation from March 22. This led to the fact that the domestic transport sector suffered economic damage.

Under current conditions, the Ministry of Transport is taking measures to mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on the sphere, to search for sources of additional income, as well as to optimize costs. In particular, due to the efficient use of the fleet of Uzbekistan Airways, which suffers most from quarantine, four Boeing-767 passenger aircraft were adapted for cargo transportation in order to increase the export of services and airline revenues.

Using these four planes for transportation of more than 60 tons of cargo per year, an opportunity has arisen to get additional income of $120 million. In January-April this year, the volume of cargo transportation of Uzbekistan Airways amounted to 4 thousand 650 tons, which is 15 times more than in the same period of the last year. Moreover, the number of flights was 142, which is 24 times more than for the corresponding period of the last year.

According to the decision of the Special Republican Commission, from May 18 this year, flights (round-trip) from Tashkent to Nukus, Urgench, Termez were resumed. In addition, Afrosiyob high-speed train from Tashkent to Navoi, Bukhara, Karshi, as well as railway route (round-trip) to Fergana valley was resumed.

In order to create convenience for domestic exporters of rail transport, regular video dialogs are held with the heads of transport agencies of Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran.

Uzbekistan Airways carries out regular cargo transportation along the routes Tashkent – Navoi – Dubai, Tashkent – Namangan – Moscow, Tashkent – Seoul, Tashkent – Shanghai, Tashkent – Beijing and Tashkent – London.