Air Astana: Флагман казахстанской авиации

Flag carrier and airline group of Kazakhstan ; based in Almaty

Air Astana is an airline group and the flag carrier of Kazakhstan. Based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the airline, previously jointly owned by the Government of Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund Samruk Kazyna (51%) and BAE Systems PLC (49%), has since February 2024 been publicly listed on the London, Astana, and Almaty Stock Exchanges. It is the largest airline in Central Asia and the Caucasus region with 69% and 40% of market share on domestic and intra regional routes from Kazakhstan. The airline was incorporated in October 2001 and started commercial flights on 15 May 2002. It is one of a small number of airlines that has required neither government subsidy nor shareholder financial support to overcome the effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, thus preserving its central corporate principle of financial, managerial, and operational independence.

Air Astana was described by the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation in January 2012 as having "performed better in its first decade than just about any other start up carrier". Originally intended to be a purely domestic airline, BAE Systems later agreed in mid 2001 to participate in the proposed startup at the request of Kazakhstan's then head of state, President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Their assistance was requested in order to facilitate an air radar contract. This was then negotiated with the Government of Kazakhstan. Sir Richard Evans, BAE Systems' chairman at the time, was considered instrumental to the success of the deal. The radar contract never materialized however, and subsequent senior management changes and strategic reviews at BAE Systems led to the closure of its offices in Kazakhstan. Additionally, despite the support of Nazarbayev, the start up, initially seen as a foreign entity, faced immediate and vocal opposition from many elements of Kazakhstan's media and political establishment.

Despite facing opposition and a lack of support, Air Astana launched its operations under the leadership of its first president, Lloyd Paxton, a former executive of British Airways. After a few short lived pre operational leaders, the airline leased its first three Boeing 737s from the International Lease Finance Corporation (ILFC) and started commercial operations on 15 May 2002. Later in 2003, the airline leased Fokker 50s from Aircraft Finance Trading BV (AFT) and three Boeing 757s from Pegasus Leasing Corp. In its first full year of operations, Air Astana declared a net profit in 2003. When Air Kazakhstan, the previous flag carrier, declared bankruptcy in February 2004, Air Astana expanded its operations from its domestic network to key international routes including Dubai, Istanbul, Moscow, Beijing, Frankfurt, and London. Early growth pains and disagreements over fleet plans and hub strategy led to tensions between the shareholders and a management change in the autumn of 2005. Peter Foster, a former executive of Cathay Pacific Airways who had led the rehabilitation team at Philippine Airlines in 1999 before a spell as CEO at Royal Brunei Airlines, was appointed as the airline's president on 1 October 2005. Long term development plans and management structures were established that have remained largely unchanged since then. The airline has been consistently profitable and was listed in the top 20 most profitable airlines in terms of net margin in the world for the years 2010, 2011, and 2012, according to Airline Business and Air Finance Journal, which ranked it 20th in its 2015 survey of global airline financial ratings, with a score of BBB−. In an article on BAE Systems' offset programmes (10/10/13) the Financial Times stated, "BAE’s 49 percent stake in Kazakhstan’s Air Astana became one of the company’s highest yielding investments". Air Astana received its first A320neo in November 2016. Until 8 December 2016, Air Astana was the only Kazakh airline allowed to fly to the European Union. Air Astana was the "Official Air Carrier of EXPO 2017" and the official carrier and general partner of the 2017 Winter Universiade, which took place from 29 January to 8 February 2017 in Almaty. Also in 2017, Air Astana took delivery of its first A321neo and in 2018 the first Embraer E190 E2. The E2 aircraft featured a special Snow Leopard livery to draw global attention to the threat of extinction faced by this large wild cat, which is a native to the mountain ranges of southern Kazakhstan. Air Astana also made donation to Kazakhstan’s Zoology Association, which is taking urgent action to protect the diminishing numbers of Snow Leopards in the country. In 2018, Air Astana marked its 16th anniversary with the opening of a new Aviation Technical Centre at Astana’s international airport, which enabled Air Astana to undertake all aircraft engineering and servicing requirements up to heavy maintenance level. Air Astana decided to establish a low cost brand in 2018. In 2019, Air Astana took delivery of the first Airbus A321LR aircraft under an operating lease agreement with Air Lease Corporation and became the first operator of the aircraft type in the CIS. Also in 2019, Air Astana became the first airline in Kazakhstan able to independently perform heavy maintenance C1 and C2 checks on Airbus family aircraft at its engineering bases in Almaty and Astana.

In 2020, due to entry and exit restrictions imposed by a number of countries to limit the spread COVID 19, 95% of Air Astana flights have been cancelled between 22 March and 14 April 2020, with only 140 flights operated instead of almost 2,900. Air Astana CEO in its message to passengers assured that all requests for rebooking and refunds will be managed and that "in 18 years Air Astana has never failed to meet its obligations to customers. That commitment is absolute and will not change". Air Astana gradually restored its domestic flights from May 2020 and international flights from June, 2020. In 2021, Air Astana received the highest level 5 Star COVID 19 Airline Safety Rating by Skytrax; and became the first airline from the CIS and Southeast Asia to successfully pass an APEX audit, with Diamond status being awarded for minimizing and preventing the spread of the COVID 19 virus during flights. On 28 February and 1 March 2022, Air Astana successfully undertook repatriation flights for Kazakhstan citizens in Ukraine. Flights were operated between Katowice in southern Poland and Almaty/Astana. CEO Peter Foster went to Kyiv on the last international flight into the country on 23 February with Alexander Neboga, a senior colleague, to organize repatriation flights, and returned on the first of those. On 11 March 2022, Air Astana informed that due the withdrawal of insurance coverage for commercial flights to, from and over the Russian Federation, all flights to the Russian Federation were suspended with immediate effect. Air Astana signed an agreement with Air Lease Corporation for the long term lease of three new wide body Boeing 787 9 Dreamliner. The leased aircraft are scheduled to begin arriving from the first half of 2025. In 2023, Air Astana commissioned its new Flight Training Centre at Astana International Airport. The new training centre is equipped with the L3 Harris Reality Seven full flight simulator that delivers the most realistic training environment. The simulator is the first one with Air Astana and the first ever installation in Kazakhstan. In 2023, Air Astana completed its first six year C Check at the carrier’s engineering and technical center in Astana. In 2023, Air Astana Group achieved a record result for 9 months of operation, total revenue and other income amounted to about $900.6 million, which is 20.5% more than a year ago, when the result was $747.2 million. In February 2024, Air Astana completed its initial public offering and was listed on the London, Astana and Kazakhstan stock exchanges.

Air Astana employs over 6,000 people, mostly in Kazakhstan, supplemented by local employees at its foreign offices. It employs 460 pilots, of whom 64 are foreign nationals. All of its pilots hold EASA European licenses. Since 2008 it has operated an ab initio pilot training program for Kazakhstan nationals at flight training schools in the US and EU. As of January 2022, 320 of its operating pilots were graduates of this scheme. In 2012, the company introduced a general management training program at Cranfield University, since transferring to Henley Business School. The airline's cabin crew consists of over 1,100 flight attendants, all of whom are Kazakhstan nationals. Its management is a combination of Kazakhstani and foreign nationals.

In November 2018, the airline announced plans to launch a low cost airline, FlyArystan. FlyArystan began operations on 1 May 2019 with a pair of Airbus 320s configured to 180 seats operating a classic low cost model, on the same Airline Operator Certificate (AOC) as its parent but with separate specialist management. As of January 2022, FlyArystan operated 10 A320s with a further 7 on firm order through to 2023. The high passenger growth of FlyArystan (553% 2021 v 2020) has potentially contributed to Kazakhstan becoming the fastest growing domestic aviation market in the world in 2021.

Air Astana's 91 routes include 48 international and 43 domestic destinations. The airline covers most large cities in Central Asia and the Caucasus (and formerly Siberia), which is the result of a decision to implement what its managers refer to as an "extended home market strategy". Its long haul growth has been towards the south and east Asia, with flights to Delhi, Seoul (operated in code share with Asiana Airlines), Beijing, Bangkok. In addition to its existing Almaty Seoul services, Air Astana launched a service from Astana to Seoul in June 2015. Air Astana operates from Astana to Frankfurt and to Heathrow. The European services are connected with Air Astana's extensive domestic services as well as regional services in Central Asia, and China.

Air Astana was additionally obliged to cease flights from Kazakhstan to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur in March 2020 due to strict COVID 19 driven travel restrictions across Southeast Asia. In October 2020, following the partial withdrawal of travel restrictions for both Kazakhstan citizens and at certain leisure destinations, the airline resumed services to Antalya (Turkey) and Sharm El Sheikh (Egypt), and commenced flying to The Maldives (Male International Airport) and Colombo (Sri Lanka). These flights, referred to as “lifestyle routes” by the airline's management due to an increased average length of stay at destinations by travelers, were added in March 2021.

Air Astana operates a 2 class service, Business and Economy, on all aircraft, and Economy Sleeper on its Airbus 321neo Long Range aircraft. All aircraft with the exception of its Embraer E2s are equipped with an individual in flight entertainment system supplied by RAVE in both cabins.

The Nomad Club frequent flyer program consists of Diamond, Gold, Silver and Blue membership tiers, and has reciprocal agreements with Lufthansa's Miles & More and Asiana Airlines's "Asiana Club" programs.

On 11 November 2018, Air Astana Flight 1388, an Embraer ERJ 190, suffered severe control problems after takeoff due to faulty installation of control cables following a heavy maintenance check by a third party maintenance provider in Portugal. After more than 90 minutes, the aircraft, with three flight deck and three maintenance personnel on board, was able to land at Beja Airbase, however the aircraft had already suffered severe multiple structural stress and was written off. Air Astana pilots were recognized for preventing a crash during a flight on an Embraer 190 aircraft on 11 November 2018 and were received the Hugh Gordon Burge Memorial Award for Outstanding Courage or Devotion to Duty in the Air at the Guildhall in London.