fairviewroad

They seem to be focused on customer service. Why, they even have a great survey on their website. It includes questions such as:

13. Are you satisfied with a quality and variety of foodstuff?

Excuse me, miss, could have some more of those tasty foodstuffs?

17. Did you fell comfortable during the fight?

Why yes, I landed right on my tashkent, which absorbed the fall.

16. Did you like the servicing of our air hostess?

No comment

MACH81

^

asnovici

Oh I needed that laugh this morning! LOl! Thank you for this!

GlobalSights

SUPER!

(and did you note the fight?)

big V

I just flew Air Uzbekistan in February.

It's no longer a mad dash for a seat, you get assigned seats now.

They no longer allow smoking or cell phone use on flights.

The planes are brand-spankin'-new Airbuses, with video safety and arrival information in English, Russian and Uzbek (in that order).

Deplaning, I smirked at the choice of music: Summertime and the Livin' is Easy, instrumental version.

Much better than flying Tajik Air. I'd put them at slightly below Air Astana, and slightly above Air Turkmenistan.

As civilized as it's become (except for Tajik Air), one misses the crazy days of tons of booze, smoking, and belligerently drunk Soviet men on Aeroflot.... On occasion, that is.

GuyverII

Thanks for the update. I would also rate them just below A Astana.

zakami

Then way are CO, DL, NW in Skyteam? The US requires a transit visa for citizens of a majority of the countries (Western Europe, Japan, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, etc make up maybe only about 15% of the world).

rankourabu

http://www.uzairways.com/news.aspx?c...99&pid=0&cls=1

The first stage of negotiations between Uzbekistan Airways and SkyTeam Airline Alliance was held in Tashkent. The main purpose of the meeting is the entry of Uzbekistan Airways into the global airline alliance.

Fredrik74

They have some decent planes. I flew their 767 TAS-RIX today and it was just fine. I have also tried HY on the FRU-TAS route and service wide they are good enough IMO.

It took me a long time to get in but what took time was that there were so many people before me. Unfortunately a flight from Istanbul had arrived just before and the passengers created lots and lots of problems for themselves. If you have 10 suitcases with you it may be a good idea to declare at least some things...

I breezed through in less than 10 seconds once I actually reached the customs officer so the fault for lines clearly lay at the other passengers feet.

Leaving the country was very easy too although I was questioned two additional times apart from the normal one. In all it took about five minutes to pass customs and migration.

Just avoid the Metro. Foreigners aren't popular there and the police will routinely stop you.

GuyverII

Thanks for the update. I would add that the police will stop you just about anywhere in Uzbekistan.

mecabq

Uzbekistan is one of the world's great police states (not quite at the level of North Korea or Cuba, I suppose -- I wonder how it compares to Turkmenistan these days).

However, it's also supposedly a great place to visit -- especially Samarkand and other Silk Road sites. I would love to go there. I always I assumed that it would be reasonably easy to get to via IST on TK, but this would add an even more-fun option.

Can any American who has obtained a visa recently report on the process? In the past the U.S. State Department has conveyed pretty onerous requirements, but I notice today that their site lists basically the same requirements as the previous poster here.

GuyverII

It is similar to Turkmenistan today.

Samarkhand, Bukhara, Khiva. Those are just absolutely amazing to visit (except in the summer--blazing HOT).

puchong

Resurrecting this ancient tread ... is Tashkent (and Samatkand) still the police state described above? Not amenable to independent explorers and of course to someone who can only manage Nyet in Russian?

N830MH

I knew they never joined Skyteam associate yet. Did not have an approved. Took em too long! I doubt Skyteam will ever reconsider it again.

DaveS

A bit late I know, but Tashkent and Uzbekistan are perfectly good places to visit. Even 20 years ago there were few problems for visitors, though visas and lack of ATM's that would take foreign cards were a problem. It is much easier now with many having visa free entry and ATM's everywhere. There were some positives to being a police state (at least for visitors). Crime was always very low with plenty of police on the streets. OTOH, if you are a citizen then excessive bureaucracy and a big gap between those that have and those that do not is a problem. More recently, English is becoming more widely spoken. Menus in restaurants often have English versions.

As for Uzbekistan Airways, they are generally reliable (always have been in my experience) and you can at least get a decent and filling meal even in Y. Not something you can say for many European airlines.