Uzbekistan’s Qanot Sharq Receives its First A321XLR from Airbus
The first Airbus A321XLR for the private Uzbek airline Qanot Sharq has been seen leaving the paint shop at the Airbus Finkenwerder facility, located near Hamburg, Germany, as it prepares for delivery.
Images of this aircraft, now adorned in Qanot Sharq’s blue and white livery and featuring a logo representing Uzbekistan, have surfaced on social media platforms.
This aircraft, currently carrying a temporary Airbus test registration D-AYAB, is anticipated to start operations by the end of 2025. It will be the first A321XLR stationed in Central Asia and is the initial aircraft of three A321XLRs that Qanot Sharq secured through a lease from Air Lease Corporation earlier in February 2025. This order also includes two A321LR aircraft.
As of October 2025, Qanot Sharq boasts an all-Airbus fleet, comprising two A320ceo, one A321neo, and two A330 aircraft. In addition to the A321XLR and A321LR models, there is also an additional A320neo in the pipeline.
Founded in 2021, Qanot Sharq is part of a new wave of Uzbek airlines that are capitalizing on the recent liberalization of the country’s aviation market, which has opened up to tourism. This significant shift in Uzbekistan’s regulatory landscape has led to an increasing influx of visitors, prompting government initiatives to expand airport infrastructure considerably. Earlier in October 2025, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev laid the foundation for a new international airport in the capital, set to cost US$2.5 billion.
In this context, Qanot Sharq aims to broaden its network across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and even the United States. In October 2025, the airline submitted an application to the U.S. Department of Transportation to establish a bi-weekly service between Tashkent (TAS) and New York (JFK), with a stop in Budapest (BUD).
Although Uzbekistan and the U.S. have maintained an Open Skies agreement since 1998, if approved, Qanot Sharq’s route will mark the first direct flight linking Central Asia to the U.S.
Are you excited to see how Qanot Sharq’s network expands in the coming years?
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