Tajikistan’s Somon Air Enters Second Boeing 737MAX 8 into Service

Image: Somon Air

Somon Air, the primary airline of Tajikistan, has introduced its second Boeing 737MAX 8 into revenue service, the carrier confirmed to CentralAsia+Aero.

The newly delivered aircraft (msn 66774, registration VQ-BBD)—named in honor of Abu Abdullah Rudaki, the founder of Persian-Tajik classical literature—ferried directly from Boeing’s Seattle facilities to Dushanbe International Airport on September 12. The twinjet was integrated into the carrier’s scheduled flight schedule the following day.

Like Somon Air’s initial 737MAX 8 delivered in late July, the CFM LEAP-1B-powered aircraft is on long-term lease from Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE).

The additional capacity supports the private carrier’s ongoing route expansion. In August, Somon Air inaugurated non-stop services from Dushanbe to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Minsk, Belarus. Earlier this year, the airline launched capital routes to Tbilisi, Georgia and Ufa, Russia, alongside a regional link connecting Khujand to Kazan, Russia. Somon Air’s network currently serves approximately 30 destinations.

With this delivery, Somon Air operates an all-Boeing fleet of eight aircraft, including two 737 MAX 8s, four 737-800s, and two 737-900ERs. Looking ahead, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding with Boeing in November 2025 for up to ten 737MAX 8s and four widebody 787-9 Dreamliners.

Elsewhere in Central Asia, Kazakh operator Vietjet Qazaqstan (formerly Qazaq Air) is also scheduled to take delivery of its first 737MAX aircraft before year-end.