International Airlines Expand Services for Spring Travel: Kazakhstan Included
Get Ready for Sky-High Travel Expeditions!
📍 Astana's Skies: IndiGo, India's ultimate low-cost airline, takes flight with a new Astana-Delhi route from May 14, operating thrice weekly on Airbus aircraft. 🛬✈️
This move is anticipated to boost ties between the nations, and bolster Kazakhstan's transportation infrastructure.
Mark your calendars, folks! Kazakhstan's national carrier, Air Astana, is set to increase its India-bound offerings on the Almaty-Mumbai route from April 20. 🌟
Springing into action during the upcoming season, Air Cairo prepares to launch a weekly Kostanai-Sharm el-Sheikh flight, along with two weekly Almaty-Hurghada journeys. The airline also plans to rekindle its weekly Almaty-El Alamein service. 🏖️
Fasten your seatbelts! Air Astana opens up new routes from Almaty to Nha Trang, Vietnam, come March, with four weekly trips in store. Astana will wave its travelers off on three weekly Nha Trang-bound trips, too. 🌏✈️
Brace yourselves, flying enthusiasts! SCAT Airlines prepares to unveil a brand-new Shymkent-Budapest route starting May 27, with flights operating twice weekly. 🌍✈️
In a daring move earlier this year, Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air launched economical flights on the Kostanai-Turkistan and Karagandy-Turkistan routes. 💰
Victoria Starozhilova, SCAT Airlines' spokesperson, announced late last month that Shymkent Airport is readying a new terminal this year, aiming to inaugurate 14 domestic and 16 international routes, extending connections to European nations, China, South Korea, Southeast Asia, the UAE, Belarus, and more. 🌐
A Look Ahead: If you're curious about future plans and expansion beyond 2023, here's a sneak peek into 2025:
- New Horizons: Kazakhstan plans to roll out 15 new international routes in 2025, with destinations ranging from Munich to Samarkand, serving cities like Budapest, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Cairo, Da Nang, Abu Dhabi, Hurghada, Busan, Osh, Mumbai, Kulja, Rome, Gazipaşa, and more [3][4].
- To the Skies: Most of these routes will be covered by domestic carriers like Air Astana and SCAT, along with new low-cost foreign airlines such as SpiceJet, Thai AirAsia X, Eastar Jet and T’Way Air, and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi [3][4].
- Open Skies: Kazakhstan's open skies policy, introduced in 2022, promises a freer aviation sector, with restrictions on foreign carriers operating on routes not served by domestic airlines removed [3][4]. This policy extends through 2027 and currently applies to 15 airports across Kazakhstan [3][4].
💡 Insight: Kazakhstan's Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport in Astana is gearing up for a $1.1 billion expansion project, which includes a second runway, a third passenger terminal, a new cargo terminal, and a large aerotropolis complex, aiming to position Astana as a major transit hub for Central Asia, China, and Russia [1][5].
- The announcements of new air routes by various airlines indicate a growing interest in the finance and industry sectors of Kazakhstan, particularly in the aviation industry, as they aim to boost travel and tourism, lifestyles, and transportation infrastructure.
- As Kazakhstan expands its aviation industry with more international routes in 2025, it aims to connect with cities like Munich, Budapest, Shanghai, and Cairo, potentially opening up opportunities in finance, lifestyle, and travel sectors with foreign nations.
- In line with Kazakhstan's open skies policy, foreign low-cost airlines such as SpiceJet, Thai AirAsia X, Eastar Jet, T’Way Air, and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi are expected to join domestic carriers like Air Astana and SCAT, contributing to a freer aviation sector and increased travel possibilities within and beyond Central Asia.
