A plane departs from Hangzhou International Airport. [Photo/Hangzhou Customs]

Hangzhou International Airport will launch a new direct passenger route to Tashkent, operated by Uzbekistan-based Qanot Sharq Airlines, starting March 31, with two round-trip flights per week.

According to the flight schedule, inbound flight HH873 will depart Tashkent at 1:40 pm local time every Tuesday and Saturday and arrive in Hangzhou at 11:10 pm Beijing time. The outbound flight HH874 will depart Hangzhou at 12:40 am every Wednesday and Sunday, landing in Tashkent at 05:20 am local time. The route will be operated with an Airbus A321XLR aircraft with 16 business-class and 174 economy-class seats.

Ticketing platform data show economy class fares for the inaugural flight from Tashkent to Hangzhou start at 1,639 yuan ($238.35), while return fares on April 1 start at 1,302 yuan.

Qanot Sharq Airlines, a Tashkent-based carrier, has expanded its fleet in recent years to include Airbus A321, A330, and A321XLR aircraft.

The new service adds to existing connectivity between Hangzhou and Uzbekistan. In late 2024, the airport launched its first direct passenger route to Tashkent, operated by Uzbekistan Airways.

Niu Jinping, chief representative of Qanot Sharq Airlines in China, said the route is expected to facilitate business travel and tourism between Zhejiang and Central Asia, while improving connectivity for passengers from cities such as Yiwu and Wenzhou.