Low cost carriers have long been a part of flying in Europe. Think of Ryanair and Easyjet. In Australia and Asia airlines such as Jetstar, Tiger and Airasia provide more affordable means to travel around the region. They are the airlines we love to hate. Despite what we perceive as a lack of service, tricky pricing, poor scheduling and delayed flights, we continue to go back for more for the simple fact that low cost carriers are usually a lot cheaper than the full priced competition.
Finally low cost carriers have made it to Central Asia. For many years the lack of demand as well as the nature of state ownership and control of airlines meant that travellers usually had little choice in which airlines they flew around the five Central Asian ‘Stans – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Move over Uzbekistan Airways, Air Astana and Kyrgyzstan Airlines because here they are.
Air Manas – Kyrgyzstan
Air Manas is based out of, surprise surprise, Manas Airport in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Founded in 2006, Air Manas was the first low cost carrier in Central Asia. Air Manas is 49% owned by the Turkish budget airline Pegasus.
Air Manas has yet to have any fatalities, however this hasn’t stopped the airline being banned in the European Union. The airline offers several international routes, to destinations such as Moscow, Istanbul, Sharm El-Sheik, and Delhi, as well as one domestic service from Bishkek to the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan – Osh.
Fly Arystan – Kazakhstan
Fly Arystan was started in 2018, just before the start of the pandemic, joining Air Astana, SCAT and Qazaq Air as a major airline in Kazakhstan. Air Astana is considered a premium airline and is priced accordingly, while SCAT and Qazaq Air are more affordable but still full service airlines.
Despite Kazakhstan already having 3 major airlines and several smaller charter airlines, obviously someone thought there was demand for a new kid on the block. They couldn’t have been more correct with Fly Arystan recording 94% seat load, meaning they know how to get bums on seats.
The company slogan is Eurasia’s Low Fares Airline. Fly Arystan offers 16 domestic services, as well as flights to international destinations such as Armenia, Georgia, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and the UAE.
Uzbekistan Express – Uzbekistan
The newest endeavour in Central Asia at a budget airline is Uzbekistan Express. Uzbekistan Express is a low cost subsidiary of Uzbekistan Airways. Management at the national flag carrier have said the aim is to stimulate demand and move people away from rail and road transport by offering cut price ticketing.
Their first flight from the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, to Moscow, was on the 30 th of August, suggesting Uzbekistan Express may focus on the Russian market. There are many routes which are in high demand to the sheer number of Uzbeks who live and work in Russia. In 2019 1.3 million passengers flew between Russia and Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan Express will be offering flights to Novosibirsk, Kazan, Rostov, Krasnodar, Sochi, Mineralnye Vody, and Ekaterinburg, as well as other destinations within Central Asia and domestic routes within Uzbekistan.
