Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan Airways JSC is revising its passenger carriage rules on domestic routes to prioritize consumer rights, the Competition Committee reports.

The changes aim to ensure compliance with the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan “On Protection of Consumer Rights” and the Constitution, which guarantees the primacy of citizens’ rights in economic activities.

Under standard international practice, a passenger who purchases a round-trip ticket but does not use the outbound flight automatically forfeits the return segment. This rule previously applied at Uzbekistan Airways under the document registered with the Ministry of Justice under No. 2238 on June 29, 2011. For example, a passenger missing the Tashkent–Urgench flight would previously lose the right to use the return ticket.

Under the new regulations, a passenger wishing to skip the first segment of a route or failing to check in on time must notify an authorized airline agent of their intention.

In such cases, the ticket may be reissued or refunded according to the fare conditions. If the passenger does not provide notice, they retain the right to use the ticket on subsequent segments, but a refund or reissuance for the unused portion will incur a penalty of 100% of the original ticket price. Airport fees and airline service charges included in the ticket, however, will be refunded.

The Competition Committee noted that the changes “further strengthen consumer rights protection” and welcomed the airline’s efforts to promote fair competition.

As emphasized in Article 65 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the state creates conditions for the development of market relations and ensures the primacy of consumer rights, a principle reflected in the updated carriage rules.

Thus, Uzbekistan Airways is aligning international standards with national legislation while enhancing transparency and passenger loyalty.