Hangzhou International Airport launched a new direct passenger route to Tashkent on March 31, with Uzbekistan-based Qanot Sharq Airlines operating the service.

The inaugural inbound flight, HH873, landed in Hangzhou at 11:27 pm after a six-hour journey carrying 158 passengers. The route is operated on an Airbus A321XLR, marking the first time the long-range narrow-body model has been used at Hangzhou airport. The aircraft has 16 business-class seats and 174 economy-class seats.

Under the flight schedule, inbound flight HH873 arrives in Hangzhou at 11:10 pm every Tuesday and Saturday. Outbound flight HH874 departs Hangzhou at 12:40 am every Wednesday and Sunday.

Zhou Jie, general manager of Hangzhou International Airport, said at the launch ceremony that the airport opened its first direct passenger route to Tashkent in late 2024, operated by Uzbekistan Airways. The addition of Qanot Sharq Airlines means both the national carrier and a private Uzbek airline now serve the Hangzhou market.

With the new service, the number of flights between Hangzhou and Central Asian countries will rise to 11 a week, the highest frequency in East China, according to the airport.

Hangzhou International Airport has continued to expand its international network this year. Compared with the same period last year, it has added or increased service on 19 international routes, including Seoul, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Jakarta.

In the new flight season, the airport is operating passenger services to 32 international and regional destinations, and annual international and regional passenger throughput is expected to exceed 5 million tourist visits.