It has now been some five-and-a-half years since Kazakhstan’s SCAT Airlines became the first Boeing 737 MAX operator in Central Asia, as well as the first in a former Soviet state. In March 2018, Boeing handed over the first of six MAX 8s coming to the Shymkent-based airline. At the time, neither Boeing nor SCAT knew of the turmoil that was to surround the 737 MAX, which would see it grounded.
The 737 MAX freshened up an aging fleet
SCAT Airlines has been scooting around Kazakhstan and Central Asia since 1997 and is one of its country’s oldest active carriers. Data from ch-aviation.com shows that it presently has 37 aircraft in its fleet, with a relatively high average age of 19.1 years old. Among its most senior planes are its three Boeing 737-500s and four 757-200s, both of which have mean ages of more than 30 years.
SCAT Airlines also has several aircraft types with average ages greater than 20 years old, such as its five 737-300s, one 767-300ER, four Bombardier CRJ200ERs, and three CRJ200LRs. Still in their teens are its ones 737-700 and eight 737-800s, with respective average ages of 15.5 and 13.5 years old.
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Contrastingly, its three Boeing 737 MAX 8s and five MAX 9s are just 4.9 and 1.1 years old, respectively. It still has one more example of the latter model on order, having received its first back in August of 2021. They marked a significant change for the SCAT pilots who were used to flying far older planes. Back in 2018, SCAT Airlines had high hopes for the MAX, with President Vladimir Denisov stating that:
“We are confident that the acquisition of Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets will not only raise the level of customer service in our airline, but will also give new momentum to the development of the aviation industry in Kazakhstan.”
SCAT quickly returned its MAX jets to service after the grounding
However, SCAT Airlines’ working relationship with the Boeing 737 MAX didn’t get off to the best start, albeit due to factors that were out of the carrier’s control. One year later, the MAX family faced a worldwide grounding following two fatal accidents, and a year after, the global travel downturn struck. However, another year down the track, Boeing’s 737 MAX was back in business at SCAT.
After all, Kazakhstan was one of the first jurisdictions to give the MAX the green light to fly again. On February 19, 2021, a SCAT Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 (registered as UP-B2730) resumed revenue-earning flights, making it the first carrier outside North and South America to reintroduce the type commercially. The aircraft operated a service between Almaty and Ust-Kamenogorsk and back.
Getting the MAX back in the air in Kazakhstan was a joint effort that took months of work, with SCAT, the Aviation Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and Boeing all involved. Like pilots elsewhere, SCAT’s MAX pilots had to complete simulator training at a certified center, which they were able to do in Istanbul. They were also instructed to do additional training beyond the minimum requirements.
Further growth could be on the cards
While the onset of the coronavirus pandemic meant that passenger numbers across Kazakhstan were down by a factor of 36% in 2020, the country’s aviation sector recovered quicker than many other nations. The industry in Kazakhstan even enjoyed a decent rebound in domestic demand in 2020 after the initial slump.
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There are several key players in the Kazakh airline industry, including the relatively high-profile Air Astana. With this in mind, you might expect a fairly crowded domestic market with little room to grow, but SCAT Airlines has a different opinion, as the carrier is reportedly planning to buy 20 Boeing jets this decade. This is a confident move by SCAT that demonstrates a lot of faith in the local aviation scene.
Regarding the carrier’s network, data from ch-aviation.com shows that SCAT Airlines serves a grand total of 51 routes, connecting 29 destinations across seven different countries. As well as its hub in Shymkent, the carrier treats Aktau, Almaty, and Astana as focus cities. Internationally speaking, SCAT’s website lists the likes of Batumi, Istanbul, and Tbilisi among its destinations.
Sources: ch-aviation.com, SCAT Airlines