Uzbekistan Airports Joint Stock Company (JSC) and Changi Airports International (CAI) have inked an agreement to jointly develop Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport, the largest international airport in Uzbekistan.

With robust traffic growth expected from its tourism industry, Uzbekistan Airports JSC plans to optimise the operations of the current airport and to develop a new one that would help advance the country’s trade and tourism potential. Last year, the company recorded 5 million passengers. exceeding pre-Covid traffic.

Under the agreement, CAI will provide consultancy and technical services to Uzbekistan Airports JSC in the management and operation of the existing Tashkent Airport, which includes capacity optimisation, improving operational standards, commercial planning and traffic development. CAI will also work with Uzbekistan Airports JSC to develop and complete a feasibility study for the new airport project.

“The existing airport has many limitations – with its location in the center of the city, there is simply nowhere to expand it. At the same time, passenger traffic is fast increasing with the airport reaching its capacity and not having enough aircraft parking lots during peak periods. Therefore, we are working on the issue of building a new airport,” said Rano Juraeva, chairman of the board of Uzbekistan Airports JSC.

“We have invited the best airport in the world, Changi Airports International, to be our consultant to help us develop a feasibility study, taking into account the creation of an international hub and the use of the most modern airport technologies in the construction of a new air harbour. They will also provide consultancy to optimise the operation of the existing airport in terms of aviation and non-aviation activities,” Juraeva added.

The agreement was signed at the Uzbekistan Overseas Market Workshop organised by the Singapore Business Federation in Tashkent on 24 May 2023.