Aerospace Diary

by  Neelam Mathews Dec 4, 2017 As Kazakhstan’s economy starts to bounce back after two years of currency devaluation, GDP declines and suppressed oil prices, Almaty-based Air Astana has resumed expanding its scope of operations in Russia, the Central Asian countries, South Asia and China. Located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, Kazakhstan stands geographically well positioned to attract transit traffic, which accounts for a growing proportion of Air Astana’s revenues.   Air Astana flies to 46 international and 20 domestic destinations. “We are conscious the domestic market is very limited…That is why we are here [in India],” Air Astana CEO Peter Foster told  AIN  during a recent interview in Delhi. “Because of our geographical location, we can fly from nowhere to anywhere.” Seventeen Airbus A320neos, five Embraer E190s and three Boeing 787s have fueled Air Astana’s fleet expansion. It expects to take delivery of another two A320neos by...

Neelam Mathews Jun 13 2017 The new USD195 million Terminal 1 (T1) at Astana International Airport was officially opened by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on 31 May, before the three-month Expo 2017 began on 10 June. 1699820 Paolo Ricciotti, chairman of Astana International Airport. ( Neelam Mathews) The new terminal went operational on 5 June with the initial transfer of all international airlines apart from Air Astana, which will be transferred at a later stage of operations. Air Astana is to use the airport as a hub, as will fast-growing SCAT Airlines (the second-largest airline in  Kazakhstan ). The new terminal is an element of the State Programme of Infrastructure Development 2015-2019. As the only airport serving the capital of  Kazakhstan , Astana International is fully state-owned and managed by the Airport Management Group, a 100% subsidiary of Kazakh Railways. Paolo Ricciotti, chairman of Astana ....more on Janes ..

by  Neelam Mathews  -  June 22, 2016, 9:06 AM Air Astana hopes that next year's Expo 2017 event will boost traffic to and from Kazakhstan. [Photo: Neelam Mathews] A highly devalued currency and collapsing oil revenues have left Kazakhstan’s economy in the doldrums, leaving flag carrier Air Astana to recalibrate its business plan with a stronger emphasis on international routes. In February 2017, the airline is due to start paying for three new Boeing 787 widebodies that may prove to be a heavy drain on its  U.S.  dollar reserves. At a June 15 press briefing in Almaty, Air Astana president and  CEO  Peter Foster did not definitively confirm that the 787 deliveries will go ahead as planned. “That is something we have got a close eye on given the weak currency market,” he told  AIN . “We will have to see how the market develops. Obviously, markets are not huge at the moment and growth has slowed down.” Air Astana’s plan has been...

Japanese golfers could be teeing off in Almaty By Neelam Mathews   /  December 15, 2014 With business to Asian destinations like Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh and Seoul collecting good yields, Kazakhstan’s largest carrier, Air Astana, is looking at servicing Tokyo from Almaty in 2016, the airline's president Peter Foster told Travel Weekly. Peter Foster, president Air Astana “We are in talks with the two main carriers (ANA and JAL) to enter into partnership with one of them. Japan is a different market. We joined the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) recently to give us exposure to that market,” Foster said.   “We are in talks with the two main carriers (ANA and JAL) to enter into partnership with one of them. Japan is a different market. We joined the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) recently to give us exposure to that market,” Foster said. "Almaty would be of interest to the Japanese market. They can also play a game of golf there,” Foster...

Kazakhstan carrier spreads its wings By Neelam Mathews   /  December 08, 2014 Air Astana, new services to Bangkok and Paris The Stopover Holidays programme launched by Air Astana Holidays, a division of Kazakhstan’s largest carrier, Air Astana, in October last year, is proving popular for some of the 100,000 transit passengers to Almaty and Astana. Air Astana, new services to Bangkok and Paris The two-day package provides visitors with hotel accommodation, including breakfast at a choice of hotels, arrival and departure airport transfers by private car and optional half-day sightseeing tours in the two cities.    The two-day package provides visitors with hotel accommodation, including breakfast at a choice of hotels, arrival and departure airport transfers by private car and optional half-day sightseeing tours in the two cities.  Richard Ledger, vice president worldwide sales, says, “There are flows we would not have sold otherwise.”  In su...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  JANUARY 6, 2014 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Air Astana plans to take delivery of a third Boeing 767-300ER this year. (Image: Boeing) January 6, 2014, 1:30 PM Resolved on tapping the booming Central Asian market, global alliances SkyTeam, OneWorld and Star Alliance have approached Kazakhstan national carrier Air Astana with offers to join their ranks. In response, the airline recently commissioned U.S.-based Seabury Group to prepare a report on whether it should enter an alliance “and which one, because all alliances want us to join them,” Air Astana president Peter Foster told  AIN  in Astana recently. “The year 2014 will be a big year for us as we will decide how to structure our medium-haul fleet,” said Foster. “Our first consideration will be range and then costs when we evaluate our options.” Over the past two years Air Astana rolled over virtually its entire fleet, replacing all its...

Peter Foster, President Almaty, 23rd March 2013 To misquote an old sporting cliché, 2012 was a year of two halves. The first half was seriously affected by sluggish demand and high fuel prices, causing year on year profit for the period to drop by 80%, in contrast to the second half which was our best on record, driven by demand recovery, non-fuel savings and greater efficiency of aircraft and crew utilisation. The full year net profit of $61.1 million was identical to that of 2011, marginally ahead of budget and in our view a good result given the pressures on the industry from high fuel prices and weak demand in Europe. Routes to and from the European Union make up 18% of the airline’s international capacity. Total airline revenues grew 15% to $875.5 million on capacity growth of 11%. We carried 3.3 million passengers, an increase of 10%. Whilst net margin slipped from 8 to 7%, it is likely that we will continue to place amongst the world’s 20 most profitable airlines, as we hav...

AIN AIR TRANSPORT PERSPECTIVE  »  OCTOBER 22, 2012 by    NEELAM MATHEWS Kazakhstan flag carrier Air Astana wants to expand its network in Asia and could seek bilateral alliances with operators such as Royal Jordanian. October 22, 2012, 11:50 AM As oil and gas wells overflow in Kazakhstan, Air Astana–the national carrier of the newly enriched former Soviet republic–is looking deep into Asia to expand its network. Its inclusion on the  European Union blacklist , which frustrates its ambitions to expand west, lies at the heart of its strategy. Air Astana’s discussions over a code-share partnership with Royal Jordanian, which follows an analogous strategy, is no coincidence. Royal Jordanian has developed Amman into a hub for the Levant region, straddling western Asia, the eastern Mediterranean and northeast Africa. As in central Asia, small and relatively weak flag carriers traditionally have served the region, according to inde...

Posted by- Neelam Mathews July 26, 2012 Starting today, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport holders can enjoy a 14 day visa free visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazakh nationals can similarly spend 14 days in Hong Kong on a visa free basis. The visa free agreement between the HKSAR and Kazakhstan governments was signed in May 2012. Air Astana will launch a twice weekly flights between Almaty and Hong Kong service on 28th August, with the service to be operated by Boeing 757 configured in a 16 business class / 150 economy class configuration.  The duration of the Almaty to Hong Kong flight is 6 hours 10 minutes, while Hong Kong to Almaty flight is 7 hours 10 minutes.  Passengers arriving in Hong Kong will enjoy convenient connections on partner airlines to southern China and south east Asia.  For passengers arriving in Almaty, Air Astana offers a rapidly expanding network of international services to Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, a...