United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby is floating Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as possible future destinations, revealing that the airline’s head of network planning, Patrick Quayle, visited both countries this year. There is a substantial obstacle, however: United cannot fly over Russia. For now, Central Asia is an opportunity United is exploring rather than a destination it is preparing to announce.

United Airlines Is Exploring Uzbekistan And Kazakhstan, But Russia Stands In The Way

During an appearance on the Cheeky Pint podcast with John Collison and Ben Thompson, Kirby discussed how United identifies destinations that other U.S. carriers have overlooked.…