At a session of the Tashkent International Investment Forum, Suresh Subudi, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), presented an analysis of Uzbekistan's aviation sector. According to him, Central Asia has become the fastest-growing aviation subregion in the world, with Uzbekistan as one of the leaders of this growth.

Based on IATA data, BCG's presentation estimated that passenger traffic in Central Asia will reach about 60 million by the end of 2025. In Uzbekistan, the number of air passengers grew from 6.5 million in 2019 to 15.5 million in 2025, an average annual increase of 16%. Air cargo volume rose from 49,400 tons to 98,100 tons (12% per year).

Subudi noted that demand for air travel is growing 2.5 times faster than GDP. Since 2017, the number of airlines serving Uzbekistan has increased from 16 to 68, with the majority being foreign carriers. However, the average airfare is equivalent to about 25 working days, compared to 4 days in Kazakhstan and about 1 day in developed economies.

Uzbekistan's geographical location on the Europe-Asia corridor theoretically allows it to become an aviation hub, but currently transit traffic accounts for only 3% (compared to 40-70% in Istanbul and Dubai). Subudi emphasized that realizing this potential requires several conditions: a ready hub airport, supportive regulation, a proper route network, digital solutions, and skilled personnel.

He identified three main challenges: hub competition (Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and other countries are expanding airports), risks of delays and budget overruns in construction (citing Berlin-Brandenburg airport), and airline competitiveness. Subudi stated that Uzbekistan must simultaneously develop airports, a hub, and national carriers to turn opportunities into a sustainable aviation model.

Source: www.gazeta.uz