“Uzbekistan Airways” responded to the senator's accusations regarding bureaucracy

As previously reported, on September 29 of this year, during the plenary session of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, concerns related to the operations of air ticket offices owned by the joint-stock company "Uzbekistan Airways" were raised and criticized for being the cause of citizens' complaints and corruption issues.

"Uzbekistan Airways" JSC has since reacted to the situation. It was noted that there are specific reasons why the original copy of a passenger's passport is required when purchasing a ticket, leading to objections from citizens. This requirement depends on whether or not a citizen holds a visa for the destination country when traveling.

In compliance with paragraph 9 of UN Security Council Resolution No. 2178 (since 2014), Uzbekistan Airways JSC operates in accordance with the legal framework of the Republic and the countries where the airline operates. This includes the transfer of essential passenger data to specified destinations through the API system, as mandated by international regulations. To meet these requirements, passenger information, including a passport with a valid visa for the designated country, must be included in the reservation system when selling air tickets. Therefore, a valid visa for the destination country is required at the check-in counters of "Uzbekistan Airways Sales" branches and airline agents to avoid fines or sanctions for both the passenger and the airline, especially when selling air tickets to countries with visa regimes for citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Simultaneously, "Uzbekistan Airways" clarified that there are no clauses in the current regulatory documents (rules and instructions) governing the sale of passenger air transportation that require airline cashiers to issue air tickets based on original copies of passengers' identity documents. The sale of air tickets at Uzbekistan Airways Sales branches or airline agents is conducted based on original copies of passengers' identity cards, as well as their photocopies.

It is crucial to note that any inaccuracies or discrepancies in ticket and passport information may lead to fines or deportation of passengers to their country of departure due to insufficient grounds for entry.

The message further states that during passenger registration, the provided passenger information is re-entered into the system by registration agents of the ground handling services at airports in the Republic of Uzbekistan, directly from the original copy of the passport.

In response to the questions and misunderstandings that have arisen, "Uzbekistan Airways" JSC will supply all agents selling air tickets, both within and outside the Republic of Uzbekistan, with the necessary documents confirming the identity of passengers or their relatives when purchasing air tickets. It has been reiterated that there is no need to provide these documents unnecessarily.

To recap, earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security Affairs, Qutbiddin Burkhanov, criticized the continued use of outdated bureaucratic methods in the sale of air tickets, particularly related to Order No. 75 dated October 25, 2015, issued by the national airline "Uzbekiston Havo Yollari". He emphasized that the approved guidelines are outdated and the relevant norms have not been updated, resulting in unnecessary and illogical obstacles for citizens. Additionally, he noted that on March 19, 2021, the Senate had appealed to the Uzbekistan Airways joint-stock company to make necessary amendments to the guidelines to address the aforementioned problem. However, on June 23 of the same year, in the response sent to the Senate, the Chairman of the Board of the Uzbekistan Airways joint-stock company stated that it was impossible to resolve this issue without a valid reason.