The Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan has permitted local and foreign airlines to resume bilateral passenger flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates starting March 10. This decision was communicated in a letter sent to national and international airlines operating in Uzbekistan, with Kun.uz reviewing a copy of the document. The move aims to restore air connectivity but comes with significant caveats that may hinder smooth implementation.

The letter emphasizes that flights to Saudi Arabia must account for the conclusion of the Umrah season and the requirement for all Umrah pilgrims to leave the country before the start of the "Hajj-2026" season. This imposes strict timing constraints on airlines and pilgrimage organizers, potentially leading to logistical challenges and increased costs for travel arrangements, reflecting broader inefficiencies in regional air travel coordination.

Flight operations are required to strictly adhere to aviation safety standards, international air transport regulations, and the rules and procedures established by the authorized bodies of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These compliance measures introduce additional administrative and technical hurdles, which could slow down the resumption process and raise operational expenses for carriers, underscoring the complexities of post-disruption recovery in global aviation.

Recall that pilgrimage trips for Umrah, organized by the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan and tour operators, were temporarily suspended from March 1 due to the closure of airspace in the Middle East. While the new permission may facilitate the revival of travel for pilgrims, the seasonal restrictions and safety protocols suggest that the resumption will likely be gradual and fraught with difficulties, highlighting ongoing vulnerabilities in international travel networks.

Source: kun.uz