A321neo deliveries for Qanot Sharq delayed to 2027

Photo: Airbus

Deliveries of new Airbus A321neo family narrowbody aircraft for private Uzbek carrier Qanot Sharq have slipped to 2027, a source close to the airline told CentralAsia+Aero. The delay is attributed to production constraints at the European planemaker Airbus.

In 2025, Qanot Sharq placed an order for three A321XLR and two A321LR aircraft through US lessor Air Lease Corporation (ALC). At the time, the airliners were expected to join the carrier’s fleet from Airbus assembly lines in 2026–2027.

In December 2025, the Uzbek airline took delivery of one new A321XLR on long-term lease from Air Lease Corporation, becoming the launch operator of the variant in Central Asia.

The XLR boasts the longest range in the A320neo family at 8,700 km — 1,300 km more than the LR variant and nearly 2,300 km more than the baseline A321neo. Qanot Sharq deploys the type on 6-to-7-hour routes out of Tashkent, including flights to Sanya, China, and London.

Qanot Sharq is Uzbekistan’s third-largest passenger airline, following state carrier Uzbekistan Airways and another private operator Centrum Air. In addition to the XLR, its fleet comprises two standard A321neos, two previous-generation A320ceos, and two widebody A330-200s. The incoming aircraft were intended to support both network expansion and existing routes.