Flydubai is to compete with Uzbekistan Airways when it adds services to Tashkent later this year.

The Dubai-based carrier says it will begin thrice-weekly services to the Uzbek capital on 11 March operated using Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. It will become a daily service at the end of May.

FlightGlobal schedules data indicates that Uzbekistan Airways already plies the route.

With the start of services to Uzebkistan, the Emirates-owned carrier will operate to every country in Central Asia.

It began operating to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan in November 2010 followed by adding Bishkek flights in Kyrgyzstan in February 2012.

This was followed by Dushanbe in Tajikistan in April 2013, flights to the Kazakhstani city of Almaty in September 2014, later followed by services to the capital Astana in October 2015 and Shymkent in 2018. It also offers services to Kabul.

With the launch of the new direct flights to Tashkent, Flydubai will offer 33 weekly flights to seven points in Central Asia.

Source: Cirium Dashboard