Boeing Closes Triple Order For Somon Air, Uzbekistan Airways And Air Astana

Following the wrap up of the C5+1 Summit held in Washington, D.C., Boeing has closed deals with carriers from three of the five participating Central Asian countries.

Tajikistan’s Somon Air places order for 10 more Boeing 737 MAX 8s, and 4 Boeing 787-9s

Based in Dushanbe (DYU), Somon Air operates flights mainly to Russia, as well as a number of other Middle Eastern, European and Asian destinations. Prior to this latest order, Somon Air operated a fleet of two Boeing 737-900s and four 737-800s, along with two helicopters.

Previously, they placed an order for two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, and will now add to that, as they’ve ordered 10 more MAX 8s, along with 4 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners which they hope to use for intercontinental operations. The MAXs will be used to replace their older -800 and -900 NG aircraft.

“We are pleased to announce our commitment to expand our fleet with Boeing’s state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner and 737 MAX airplanes,” said Abdulkosim Valiev, CEO of Somon Air. “This significant investment not only marks our first widebody order but also reinforces our dedication to providing exceptional service and comfort to our passengers. With flexibility built into this commitment, Somon Air can adjust its fleet further based on market demand.”

Uzbekistan Airways exercises rights, converting remaining eight options into firm orders

In September 2025, Uzbekistan Airways placed an order for 14 Boeing 787-9s, along with eight options. They have since exercised the remaining eight options, turning them into firm orders, bringing to total -9 Dreamliner count to 22.

“The Boeing 787 Dreamliner family has proven to be the cornerstone of our long-haul operations,” said Uzbekistan Airways Chairman Shukhrat Khudaikulov. “With this new contract, we are further strengthening both our airline’s and our nation’s position as a leading aviation hub in Central Asia, while providing our passengers with greater global connectivity. This step reaffirms our ambitions and strategic commitment to sustainable growth.”

Operating out of Tashkent (TAS), Uzbekistan Airways operates both narrow and widebody flights to Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and even has flights to New York (JFK), and Resende (REZ) in Brazil. The carrier uses a mix of Airbus aircraft for narrowbody operations, but is so far exclusively using Boeing 787-8s for widebody ops. The carrier continues to remain loyal to Boeing for its long-haul needs with this latest order execution.

Kazakhstan’s Air Astana adds up to 15 more Boeing 787 orders

Operating mainly out of Almaty (ALA) and Astana (NQZ), Air Astana operates a relatively modern mixed Boeing and Airbus fleet. They have 31 narrowbodies ranging from Airbus A320neos to A321LRs, but have three older Boeing 767-300ERs. Now mind you they are still relatively young as they were all delivered to Astana new in 2013.

Prior to yesterday’s announcement, Air Astana was set to lease three Boeing 787-9s from third party lessors, and will now bump that number up to 18 as they’ve inked a deal with Boeing for up to 15 units. It’s not clear what the final number will look like, but it’s good to see the carrier refreshing its fleet as they’ve already swapped out the majority of its narrowbody fleet for newer variants.

“Air Astana is strategically committed to boosting its service capabilities from Central Asia / Caucasus to Asia, Europe and the rest of the world over the next decade, with the arrival of the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner next year marking the start of this exciting phase of development,” said Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana. “With its customer friendly cabin, fuel efficiency and range flexibility, the fleet of up to 18 Boeing 787-9 aircraft is destined to become an outstanding success with the airline and its discerning passengers.”

Buying an airplane isn’t exactly like purchasing a car. With potentially billions of dollars on the line, aerospace manufacturers have to work extremely hard to get access to the limited number of carriers operating globally. With respective governments having interests in both Boeing and Airbus, it’s no surprise that some of these deals are being inked with the help of officials at an international government summit like this.

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