Uzbekistan’s private carrier Qanot Sharq has delayed the launch of its highly anticipated direct Tashkent-New York service, moving the debut date from July 1 to September 2 2026.

The long-haul route to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has been closely watched as one of the airline’s most ambitious international expansions, The Caspian Post reports via UzDaily.

Despite the postponement, the overall schedule remains unchanged. The carrier plans to operate the route twice a week - on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Under the updated timetable:

Tashkent → New York: departure at 11:20, arrival at 15:40 (local time)

New York → Tashkent: departure at 17:10, arrival at 14:40 the next day

The airline intends to deploy Airbus A330 wide-body aircraft for the transatlantic service, positioning it as a key step in expanding long-haul connectivity between Central Asia and the United States.

Despite the revised launch timeline, tickets for the route remain unavailable in booking systems, suggesting final operational preparations are still underway.