Uzbekistan Airways and several foreign carriers reported delays and diversions as a result of thick fog affecting multiple regions of the country. Some flights were postponed until the following day.
For example, on January 6, Uzbekistan Airways flight HY053, scheduled to fly to Urgench in the morning, was diverted to Nukus. Meanwhile, flight HY054 on the Urgench – Tashkent route, originally scheduled for 20:20, was rescheduled multiple times (to 21:05, 23:30, 2:30, 4:30, and 8:55) and ultimately operated at 11:20 on January 7.
“Safety remains the top priority for Uzbekistan Airways. Due to a sharp deterioration in weather conditions, namely the formation of dense fog, a number of the airline’s flights were delayed,” Gazeta quoted the carrier’s press service as saying.
According to Uzbekistan Airways, heavy fog was observed not only in regions traditionally prone to such weather, including cities in the Fergana Valley – Namangan, Fergana, and Andijan – but also in northwestern Uzbekistan, specifically Urgench and Nukus, as well as in Bukhara and Termez. On Tuesday evening, operations at Tashkent International Airport were temporarily restricted due to fog.
The airline said it is taking all necessary measures amid the delays, including organizing ground transportation to transfer passengers from airports where weather conditions prevent flight operations to nearby airports where flights can be operated. At the same time, the company noted that such situations are considered force majeure and do not entail an obligation for the airline to provide special conditions for passengers waiting for delayed flights.
The following Uzbekistan Airways flights were operated with delays over the two-day period:
January 6
HY 717/718: Tashkent – Dushanbe – Tashkent
HY 053/054: Tashkent – Urgench – Tashkent
HY 278/279: Istanbul – Urgench – Istanbul
HY 9621/9622: Vnukovo – Andijan (diverted to Fergana)
HY 9621/9608: Fergana – Vnukovo – Bukhara
