Kyrgyz airline Aero Nomad to launch Bishkek-Urumqi direct route Aug 3

Kyrgyz airline Aero Nomad is set to launch a direct route between Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, and Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on Aug 3. The route, operated with an Airbus A320-200 aircraft, marks the first direct China-bound service by a Kyrgyzstan-registered airline, according to Xinjiang Airport Group.

In its initial phase, the airline will operate one round-trip flight per week. Outbound flight KA887 departs Bishkek's Manas International Airport at 10 pm local time every Monday and arrives at the Urumqi Tianshan International Airport at 1:35 am local time the following day.

Return flight KA888 leaves Urumqi at 2:45 am local time every Tuesday and lands in Bishkek at 2:30 am local time. The flight duration is approximately one hour and 35 minutes.

Xinjiang currently has three routes connecting with Bishkek and Osh in Kyrgyzstan, namely Urumqi to Bishkek, Urumqi to Osh, and Kashgar to Osh, with a total of four round-trip flights per week.

The group said the additional route is part of its effort to expand the Central Asian international route network and strengthen aviation cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan.