Central Asia was the fastest region to exceed pre-pandemic capacity, and that was primarily due to the strong performance of the Air Astana Group. The Kazakhstan-based group has continued to add new Airbus A321neo aircraft while strengthening its business with significant investments in pilot and cabin crew training and opening new routes and extra services.

Expanding presence in the Middle East

Last Friday, Air Astana announced it is launching new twice-weekly services from Kazakhstan to Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On October 26, 2024, it commences flights from Atyrau International Airport (GUW) in the country’s west to Dubai, from Astana to Abu Dhabi on October 30 and from Almaty to Abu Dhabi on December 12, 2024.

Air Astana Airbus A321LR

Photo: Air Astana

These new winter season flights to the Middle East will add to the existing 20 weekly services from Almaty and Astana to Dubai and six weekly services from Almaty and Shymkent to Saudi Arabia. Passengers can combine visits to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with flights from Kazakhstan to one Emirate and a return trip from the other.

Air Astana Airbus A321LR

Air Astana Senior Vice President of Revenue Management and Commercial Planning, Yerbolat Baisalykov, said the airline is delighted to further boost its presence in the Middle East, with new services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi reflecting the rapid growth in business and leisure traffic between Kazakhstan and the region.

“In particular, introducing a new Atyrau to Dubai service will contribute to wider economic development in western Kazakhstan by enhancing connectivity with important business and tourist centers in the Gulf.”

Air Astana has a fleet of 32 aircraft, including nine Airbus A320neos, two A321-200s, 16 A321neos, three Boeing 767-300s and two Embraer E190-E2 regional jets. The other member of the Air Astana Group, low-cost carrier FlyArystan, has 22 aircraft, including 12 A320-200s and 10 A320neos.

Saudi Arabia is a focus for Air Astana

Air Astana said the new services will be operated with Airbus A321neo and A321LR aircraft. The route from Atyrau International (GUW) to Dubai International (DXB) will be a four-hour flight and will operate twice weekly on Mondays and Saturdays. The service from Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev International (NQZ) to Abu Dhabi Zayed Airport (AUH) will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the Almaty International (ALA) to Abu Dhabi will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

Air Astana Airbus A321LR

Photo: Air Astana

A round-trip economy ticket from Atyrau to Dubai starts from US$396 (all-inclusive), and from Almaty and Astana to Abu Dhabi, the round trip costs $375 (all-inclusive). A round-trip business class ticket from Atyrau to Dubai starts from $1,236 (all-inclusive), and from Almaty and Astana to Abu Dhabi, the round trip costs $1,535 (all-inclusive). Kazakhstan citizens can enter the UAE with a 30-day visa-free entry.

On August 27, Air Astana announced the launch of direct scheduled flights from Shymkent to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The service will start with a twice-weekly flight between October 1 and October 28, 2024, and after those dates, one of the services will be switched to a once-weekly service between Shymkent and Medina, Saudi Arabia.

A new twice-weekly flight from Almaty to Medina will start on October 29, 2024, and complement the existing Almaty to Jeddah service. All flights to Saudi Arabia will be operated with Airbus A321LRs configured in a two-class layout of 166 seats, including 16 business class and 150 economy seats.

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