Uzbekistan Airports and China's Loong Air are exploring the launch of direct flights between Xi'an and Fergana as part of broader efforts to expand air connectivity between the two countries. This was reflected in the statement by Uzbekistan Airports following meeting between Uzbekistan Airports officials and a Loong Air delegation led by Xiao Wei, the airline's general manager for marketing. According to Uzbekistan Airports, the densely populated Fergana Valley has strong business activity and growing tourism potential, making it an attractive destination for international air services. Loong Air, based in Hangzhou, currently operates nine scheduled flights per week to Uzbekistan on three routes: Xi'an-Tashkent, Chengdu-Tashkent and Xi'an-Samarkand. The proposed Fergana service would further expand the carrier's presence in the Uzbek market and strengthen air links between western China and one of Uzbekistan's largest economic regions.