Air Astana is launching direct scheduled flights from Shymkent, Kazakhstan to Jeddah, with a twice weekly service. This operates between 1 to 28 October 2024 and then one of the flights will be switched to a weekly service between Shymkent and Medina. A new twice weekly service from Almaty to Medina will also be launched on 29 October 2024. This is in addition to the existing Almaty to Jeddah service. All Saudi Arabia flights will be operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft configured with 16 business class seats and 150 economy class seats. The flight time from Shymkent to Jeddah and Shymkent to Medina will be around 5hours 35mins, whilst flight time from Almaty to Medina is 6hours 10mins. Kazakhstan nationals are required to obtain an e-visa before traveling to Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is Saudi Arabia’s second largest city and economic capital, with a wealth of attractions including King Fahd's Fountain, the ancient city of Al-Balad and Red Sea beaches. Jeddah is a one-hour high-speed train ride from Mecca. Medina is the second most important holy city for Muslims after Mecca. The city’s Prophet's Mosque is considered the second holiest site of Islam after the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca.   

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Air Astana and Japan Airlines have inked an airline codeshare agreement. The codesharing pact will allow both airlines to place their airline codes on a new Almaty to Tokyo service scheduled to launch in the spring of 2026. The agreement will boost connectivity and travel choice between Kazakhstan and Japan for both business and leisure travellers. Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster said, “Our collaboration with Japan Airlines is an exciting development that will enrich our international network and offer more travel options.” “We look forward to delivering a seamless travel experience between Kazakhstan and Japan.” More details about routes and schedules will be announced following the integration of both airlines' scheduling and ticketing systems. Japan Airlines Group CEO Mitsuko Tottori added, “We are delighted to enter into cooperation. We will contribute to further enhancement of over 30 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Kazakhstan.” 

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Air Astana took delivery of another Airbus A320neo this week, bringing the Group's fleet size to 56 aircraft. There are now 50 Airbus family aircraft in the Air Astana Group fleet, with another two scheduled for delivery before the end of this year. The group consists of airlines Air Astana and low-cost brand FlyArystan. The newly delivered Airbus A320neo is configured with 16 Business Class seats and 132 Economy Class seats. "Air Astana Group is in the midst of an exciting new phase of development, with international and domestic passenger traffic growing significantly," said Peter Foster, CEO. The Group's fleet size is expanding ahead of schedule, growing from 49 aircraft at the end of 2023 to 56 aircraft now. By the end of 2028, the Group's overall fleet is planned to reach 80 aircraft, predominantly Airbus family types. 

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Kazakhstan carrier Air Astana will launch a new service from Almaty to Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s southern holiday island hotspot. Phu Quoc flights launch on 28 October 2024. Phu Quoc is a resort island noted for pristine beaches. Air Astana will initially operate flights twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays, with frequencies set to increase to four Phu Quoc flights a week in December. Direct flights will be operated by Airbus A321LR aircraft. Seats are now on sale for the route will roundtrip economy fares from US$ 699 including fees and taxes. Entry into Vietnam became visa-free for Kazakh citizens in May this year. 

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Kazakhstan based Air Astana Group is adding to its fleet. It just recently inked a lease deal for seven Airbus A321neo LR aircraft with Air Lease Corporation. Deliveries are expected to start from 2026. This goes toward the group’s plans to expand the fleet to 80 aircraft by the end of 2028. Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus by fleet size and revenue. Air Astana and low-cost brand FlyArystan, which launched in 2019, operate a combined fleet of 54 aircraft. 

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Air Astana is helping drive adoption of sustainable aviation fuel in Kazakhstan. The airline has been working with state-owned oil and gas company, KazMunayGas on a pre-feasibility study on the production of SAF. It was initiated by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and supported by the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan. The study was carried out by ICF, a global advisory and technology services firm. The study reviewed decarbonisation strategies, and examined both supply and demand dynamics. It also assessed SAF production technologies in the local market and developed actionable recommendations for the next steps in SAF development. Air Astana is committed to being the most sustainable airline in the CIS and Central Asia with a goal of becoming net zero by 2050. Additionally, Air Astana has committed to support the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines resolution, which sets a collective utilisation target of 5% SAF by 2030. 

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The number of Air Astana flights linking Kazakhstan and China is set to increase. It follows agreements reached at the China-Central Asia Aviation Co-operation group meeting held in Xi'an, China last month. Designated carriers from Kazakhstan received approval to operate up to 52 China flights per week during the current summer season. This increases to up to 62 flights per week starting from summer 2025. In addition to existing destinations in China, Kazakh carriers are now additionally allowed to operate flights to Guangzhou, China's third largest city. Designated airlines also received the right to operate an unlimited number of connecting China flights to the cities of Sanya, Haikou and Qionghai on Hainan Island. Kazakhstan is one the few countries whose carriers can operate China flights using fifth freedom rights. Kazakh airlines have also received permission to operate cargo flights to China without restrictions. Air Astana currently operates scheduled daily flights from Almaty to Beijing and from Astana to Beijing three times a week. It also serves Urumqi in western China five times a week from Almaty. 

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Kazakhstan carrier Air Astana is introducing significant enhancements to its Nomad Club frequent flyer programme from this week. The upgrades come as a result of customer feedback. It says the methodology for accruing points has been restructured. Points will now be allocated based on expenditure per fare, rather than flight distance. In addition, the process for making bookings using earned points will be improved, with direct accessibility with one click on the website homepage. Also, the minimum threshold for award tickets or upgrades will be dynamically adjusted based on the flight load. During a transition period from 17 to 20 May 2024, Nomad Club services, including those at check-in, online and via the app, will be temporarily inaccessible. From 21 to 25 May, 2024, intermittent access to personal accounts may be experienced due to the ongoing website upgrade. Nomad Club members are encouraged to complete any planned transactions by 17 May 2024. Members' statuses and accrued points will transfer to the new system without any changes; while points earned from flights during the transition phase will be automatically credited. New privileges available to Nomad Club members will be announced additionally. Air Astana's Nomad Club frequent flyer loyalty programme was launched in late 2007 and currently has 600,000 members in 155 countries. It offers four membership tiers: Blue, Silver, Gold and Diamond. 

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Kazakhstan based Air Astana has signed a MoU with Neos SpA, the second Italian airline and part of the Alpitour group. Their strategic partnership will encompass several areas of cooperation, including an airline codeshare agreement. Air Astana will apply a marketing code to Neos-operated flights between Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Almaty (ALA) and vice versa. Also, there will be a service collaboration on Boeing aircraft from 2025 when Air Astana Group will receive delivery of three Boeing 787-900. The airlines will share technical and operation insights gained during existing operations by Neos and entrance into service by Air Astana. The companies will then evaluate the formation of a joint-venture arrangement for routes between Italy and Kazakhstan subject to approvals. Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group, said: "We look forward to exploring initiatives together so we can better serve our mutual customers.” “This agreement will provide Air Astana passengers with more flexibility, convenience and choice of flights between Kazakhstan and Italy." 

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FlyArystan, Air Astana Group’s low-cost carrier brand, has been awarded its own Air Operator Certificate from the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK). The AOC was officially issued on 1 April 2024 following an extensive audit by the AAK. It demonstrates FlyArystan's adherence to both domestic aviation legislation and international operational standards. Since launch in 2019, FlyArystan has operated under the Air Astana Air Operator Certificate. Under its own AOC, FlyArystan will now be able to align operations more effectively with its low-cost carrier model. FlyArystan remains a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Air Astana Group. Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group, said: "Since its launch, FlyArystan has grown into the market leader in Kazakhstan.” “This makes it the right time for FlyArystan to obtain its own operator certificate, reflecting the increased size and operational complexity of the airline." Operationally, its own AOC will give it greater efficiency and recognition among aviation authorities globally. It also enables FlyArystan to receive its own IATA code. 

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Kazakhstan carrier Air Astana expanded its route network during 2023 with new service launches and increased frequencies to China, India, Central and Southeast Asia, Caucasus, Europe and the Middle East. The airline currently operates 50 routes to 34 destinations and carried 4.4 million passengers for the 30 September 2022 to 30 September 2023 period. The year also notably marked 20-year route anniversaries on services to Bangkok, Frankfurt, Istanbul and Seoul. The Beijing and Dubai routes stretch back even longer to the airline's earliest days. The fleet of Air Astana and LCC brand FlyArystan increased to 49 aircraft, including Airbus, Boeing and Embraer jets. The group plans to further expand the fleet over the next five years. Air Astana officially commissioned a new Flight Training Centre in Astana. The new training centre is equipped with the very latest generation L3 Harris Reality Seven full-flight-simulator that meet international standards. The simulator is the first ever installation in Kazakhstan. Air Astana has also commissioned a Cabin Emergency Evacuation Trainer and Real Fire Fighting Trainer. Air Astana successfully completed the International Air Transport Association's Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for the ninth time in September 2023. Air Astana was also again recognized for exemplary passenger service delivery in 2023. At the Skytrax World Airline Awards it was "Best Airline in Central Asia and CIS" for the eleventh time and "Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia and the CIS" for the second time. Air Astana also collected awards from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) during the year, including a five-star rating in the major airline category.

Air Astana Group has welcomed the 11th Airbus A321LR into its fleet. It arrived in Almaty this week from the assembly plant in Hamburg, Germany. The total number of aircraft in the Air Astana Group fleet has now grown to 48 aircraft. Of these, 40 are Airbus aircraft. The Airbus A321LR is configured with 150 economy class seats and 16 in business class, four of which offer increased space with only one seat rows. The continued expansion of the Airbus A321LR fleet is a long-term commitment from Air Astana Group to have a modern and environmentally efficient fleet of aircraft, while offering increased passenger comfort.