TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, April 21. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced plans to open a new office in Tashkent and launch the Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) system in Uzbekistan by the end of this year, Trend reports via the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.
“Uzbekistan is a growing market that holds a leading position in Central Asia in both passenger and cargo transportation. The opening of an IATA office and the introduction of BSP in the country will provide strategic support for the development of air transport by improving safety standards and operational efficiency,” said Rafael Schvartzman, IATA’s Regional Vice President for Europe.
According to Schvartzman, the introduction of BSP will allow Uzbek airlines to process financial transactions more efficiently and at lower cost on a global scale, while also creating new opportunities to market air services internationally and strengthen the country’s international air links.
IATA sees Uzbekistan as a potential regional aviation hub due to its strategic geographic location. According to the association’s forecasts, revenue passenger kilometers in the country are expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3.3 percent between 2024 and 2050, exceeding the projected global average.
Among the key priorities identified for the sector’s development are alignment with international standards, including the implementation of the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program, further modernization of airport infrastructure in Tashkent, Bukhara and Urgench, and ensuring the economic efficiency of these facilities in line with airline needs.
Meanwhile, the Billing and Settlement Plan is a global system designed to simplify and standardize financial settlements between IATA-accredited passenger sales agents and participating airlines. The platform manages ticket sales and related financial transactions between hundreds of airlines and tens of thousands of travel agents worldwide.