Air Astana
Encyclopedia
Air Astana is the flag carrier and the national airline of Kazakhstan
with its head office in Almaty
. It is the national carrier
of Kazakhstan and operates scheduled domestic and international services. Its main bases are Astana International Airport
and Almaty International Airport
. Air Astana previously was one of the sponsors of the Astana Team
, a professional road bicycle racing team.
s in May 2002. Three Boeing 757
s were added and in 2004 five Fokker 50s were acquired, the latter to largely develop the domestic network. It became the national carrier after the government closed Air Kazakhstan
in February 2004 and transferred all route authorities to Air Astana. It is a joint venture owned by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan
(51%) and BAE Systems
(49%). As of March 2010, Air Astana has 3,000 employees. The airline recently entered a partnership with Lufthansa
, expanding flight offering for the passengers of both airlines.
, Baku
, Novosibirsk
and Kuala Lumpur
improved its regional route network. Service frequencies were also increased to Bangkok, Frankfurt, Istanbul and Moscow.
Asiana Airlines
(Star Alliance
) Austrian Airlines
(Star Alliance
) Etihad Airways
KLM (SkyTeam
) STC Rossiya
In addition to these code share agreements Air Astana also partners Lufthansa's frequent flyer programme Miles & More
.
The Air Astana fleet consists the following aircraft (at 15 March 2010):
Air Astana introduced its first wide-body aircraft
in 2007. Lease deals had been agreed for two Boeing 767-300
and one Airbus A330
aircraft, the 767 were the only wide-bodies delivered. It introduced four Airbus A320 aircraft and finalised a deal for two Airbus A321
aircraft which were delivered by December 2006. Its Boeing 737 has been retired in favour of the Airbus aircraft.
The airline has leased a further two Airbus A320s from International Lease Finance Corporation
(ILFC), which were delivered in May and June 2008 on six-year leases.
Air Astana took delivery of its first Airbus A319
aircraft, this has been the only A319 ordered by the airline.
Air Astana had made commitments for the orders of 3 Boeing 787-8s to be delivered by 2012. In October 2009, the Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) for the Boeing 787 expired with no firm order being placed.
It has placed an order for six further Airbus A319 aircraft with deliveries due to commence in 2012.
On August 1 2011 Air Astana signed a contract for purchasing 2 more Embraer 190 jet + 2 options (delivery to begin first semester 2012). It already leased 2 E-190 + 2 more leased jets to be delivered by 2012. Air Astana plans an increase in its fleet to 43 planes by 2022.
in December 2006.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
with its head office in Almaty
Almaty
Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500...
. It is the national carrier
Flag carrier
A flag carrier is a transportation company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given country, enjoys preferential rights or privileges, accorded by the government, for international operations. It may be a state-run, state-owned or private but...
of Kazakhstan and operates scheduled domestic and international services. Its main bases are Astana International Airport
Astana International Airport
Astana International Airport is an international airport in Kazakhstan located 14 km outside of the capital Astana.-History:The airport traces its history to 1931 when Astana's first airfield was constructed...
and Almaty International Airport
Almaty International Airport
Almaty International Airport is the largest international airport in Kazakhstan. It is located about from the centre of Almaty, the country's largest city and commercial capital. Almaty airport accounts for half of passenger traffic and 68% of cargo traffic to Kazakhstan...
. Air Astana previously was one of the sponsors of the Astana Team
Astana Team
Astana is a professional road bicycle racing team sponsored by the Astana group, a coalition of state-owned companies from Kazakhstan and named after its capital city Astana. Astana attained UCI ProTeam status in its inaugural year, 2007...
, a professional road bicycle racing team.
History
Air Astana leased its first three Boeing 737Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s in May 2002. Three Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s were added and in 2004 five Fokker 50s were acquired, the latter to largely develop the domestic network. It became the national carrier after the government closed Air Kazakhstan
Air Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan Airlines was the national airline of Kazakhstan. It ended operations in 1997. It operated domestic and international services. It had its head office in Almaty.-Code data:*IATA Code: K4*ICAO Code: KZA *Callsign: Kazakh-History:...
in February 2004 and transferred all route authorities to Air Astana. It is a joint venture owned by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Politics of Kazakhstan
The politics of Kazakhstan takes place in the framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Kazakhstan is head of state and nominates the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government...
(51%) and BAE Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British multinational defence, security and aerospace company headquartered in London, United Kingdom, that has global interests, particularly in North America through its subsidiary BAE Systems Inc. BAE is among the world's largest military contractors; in 2009 it was the...
(49%). As of March 2010, Air Astana has 3,000 employees. The airline recently entered a partnership with Lufthansa
Lufthansa
Deutsche Lufthansa AG is the flag carrier of Germany and the largest airline in Europe in terms of overall passengers carried. The name of the company is derived from Luft , and Hansa .The airline is the world's fourth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating...
, expanding flight offering for the passengers of both airlines.
Destinations
Air Astana serves 15 domestic and 23 international destinations. Recently-opened routes to BishkekBishkek
Bishkek , formerly Pishpek and Frunze, is the capital and the largest city of Kyrgyzstan.Bishkek is also the administrative centre of Chuy Province which surrounds the city, even though the city itself is not part of the province but rather a province-level unit of Kyrgyzstan.The name is thought to...
, Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the third-largest city in Russia, after Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the largest city of Siberia, with a population of 1,473,737 . It is the administrative center of Novosibirsk Oblast as well as of the Siberian Federal District...
and Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
improved its regional route network. Service frequencies were also increased to Bangkok, Frankfurt, Istanbul and Moscow.
Codeshare agreements
Air Astana has codeshare agreements with the following carriers: airBalticAirBaltic
A/S Air Baltic Corporation, operating as AirBaltic and styled as airBaltic, is the Latvian flag carrier airline and a low-cost carrier, with its head office on the grounds of Riga International Airport in Mārupe municipality, near the capital, Riga...
Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines
Asiana Airlines Inc. is one of South Korea's two major airlines, along with Korean Air. Asiana has its headquarters in Asiana Town in Osoe-dong, Gangseo-gu, Seoul...
(Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
) Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines
Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Austria, headquartered in Office Park 2 on the grounds of Vienna International Airport in Schwechat, Wien-Umgebung and a subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Together with regional subsidiary Tyrolean Airways and charter arm Lauda Air, it operates...
(Star Alliance
Star Alliance
Star Alliance is the world's first and largest airline alliance, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, Germany . The alliance was founded in 1997 by five of the world's leading airlines: Air Canada, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Thai Airways International and United Airlines...
) Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates. Established in July 2003 and based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad commenced operations in November 2003....
KLM (SkyTeam
SkyTeam
SkyTeam, branded as SKYTEAM, is an airline alliance with its centralised management team, SkyTeam Central, based at the World Trade Center Schiphol Airport on the grounds of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in Haarlemmermeer, Netherlands...
) STC Rossiya
Rossiya (airline)
Rossiya Airlines OJSC , operating as Rossiya — Russian Airlines is a secondary national airline with its head office in Saint Petersburg, Russia, resulting from the 2006 merger of the Moscow-based company of the same name and Saint Petersburg-based Pulkovo Aviation Enterprise...
In addition to these code share agreements Air Astana also partners Lufthansa's frequent flyer programme Miles & More
Miles & More
Miles & More is the largest traveler loyalty program in Europe with 20 million members as of February 2011. It offers rewards to passengers of the Star Alliance travelling on certain types of tickets...
.
Fleet
| Aircraft | Total | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A319-132 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
1 | 5 | 12 | 114 | 126 | Deliveries: 2011-2012 |
| Airbus A320-232 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
7 | 16 | 132 | 148 | ||
| Airbus A321-231 Airbus A320 family The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001... |
2 | — | 28 | 148 | 176 | |
| Boeing 757-200 Boeing 757 The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration... |
4 | — | 20 | 150 | 170 | Equipped with winglets |
| Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
2 | — | 30 | 190 | 220 | |
| Fokker 50 | 6 | — | — | 50 | 50 | |
| Embraer 190 | 3 | 1+2opt | 9 | 88 | 97 | |
| Total | 26 | 8+2 opt | ||||
Air Astana introduced its first wide-body aircraft
Wide-body aircraft
A wide-body aircraft is a large airliner with two passenger aisles, also known as a widebody aircraft or twin-aisle aircraft. The typical fuselage diameter is . In the typical wide-body economy cabin, passengers are seated seven to ten abreast, allowing a total capacity of 200 to 850 passengers...
in 2007. Lease deals had been agreed for two Boeing 767-300
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
and one Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
aircraft, the 767 were the only wide-bodies delivered. It introduced four Airbus A320 aircraft and finalised a deal for two Airbus A321
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft which were delivered by December 2006. Its Boeing 737 has been retired in favour of the Airbus aircraft.
The airline has leased a further two Airbus A320s from International Lease Finance Corporation
International Lease Finance Corporation
The International Lease Finance Corporation is an aircraft lessor headquartered in Century City, Los Angeles, California.It is the world's largest aircraft lessor by value, though ILFC's rival, General Electric's GECAS unit, has more aircraft...
(ILFC), which were delivered in May and June 2008 on six-year leases.
Air Astana took delivery of its first Airbus A319
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft, this has been the only A319 ordered by the airline.
Air Astana had made commitments for the orders of 3 Boeing 787-8s to be delivered by 2012. In October 2009, the Memorandum of Understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
(MoU) for the Boeing 787 expired with no firm order being placed.
It has placed an order for six further Airbus A319 aircraft with deliveries due to commence in 2012.
On August 1 2011 Air Astana signed a contract for purchasing 2 more Embraer 190 jet + 2 options (delivery to begin first semester 2012). It already leased 2 E-190 + 2 more leased jets to be delivered by 2012. Air Astana plans an increase in its fleet to 43 planes by 2022.
Previously operated
The three aircraft below have been operated by Air Astana and were acquired by Air BerlinAir Berlin
Air Berlin PLC & Co. Luftverkehrs KG is Germany's second largest airline, after Lufthansa, and Europe's sixth largest airline in terms of passengers....
in December 2006.
- 2x Boeing 737-700Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
- 1x Boeing 737-800Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...