Kazakhstan launches and increases flights to other countries
By Kamila Aliyeva
Kazakhstan has signed several agreements which are set to expand cooperation in aviation sphere with a number of countries.
Direct flights from Kazakhstan to Milan will be launched in 2018, according to the Civil Aviation Committee, Kazinform reported.
“A legal framework with the Italian aeronautical authorities for the launch of regular flights between the cities of Astana, Almaty and Rome, Milan with a frequency of seven passenger and three cargo flights a week and the possibility of entering into a code-agreement with other airlines has been established. Kazakh airlines plan to open a direct communication between Astana and Milan in the second half of 2018,” the message said.
Such agreements were reached within the framework of ICAN-2017 which was attended by the Kazakh delegation headed by Chairman of the Civil Aviation Committee Talgat Lustaev. The delegation held talks with the aviation authorities of Austria, Australia, Azerbaijan, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Qatar, Kuwait, Sri Lanka and the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
An agreement to increase the number of authorized frequencies between Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka from three to seven flights a week was reached during the event.
“This is a popular tourist destination and in December of this year SKAT airline will start operating flights between Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka,” the message said.
Memorandums of Understanding which provided the designated airlines of both parties access to agreements on the joint commercial exploitation of air tickets (code-sharing agreements) with other airlines, including third-country airlines, were signed with the Australian and British aviation authorities.
“Code-sharing agreements will allow Kazakh airlines to expand their route network at the expense of segments of foreign air carriers, which will increase the attractiveness of Kazakhstan, create convenience for passengers and increase transit passenger traffic through the country,” according to the message.
At the same time, a legal framework for regular flights between Astana and Kuwait with a frequency of seven flights a week was established for the first time with the aviation authorities of Kuwait. Air carriers from Kuwait are considering the possibility of flying to Kazakhstan for the development of tourism between the two states.
There are 92 air routes with the length of more than 84,000 kilometers over the territory of Kazakhstan while 73 air corridors pass on the border with neighboring countries. As many as 80 percent of the air transit traffic of foreign airlines over the territory of Kazakhstan pass through routes connecting Europe with South-East Asia as well as routes between South Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
Kazakhstan has airports in Shimkent, Atbasar, Karaganda, Kyzyl-Orda, Balkhash, Burundai, Zaisan, Petropavlovsk, Semipalatinsk, Ust-kamenogorsk, Uralsk, Taldy-Kurgan, Kokshetau, Pavlodar, Zhezkazgan, Atyrau, Zhambyl, Zhairem, Ekibastuz, Almaty, Aktau, Kostanay, Aktyubinsk, Arkalyk, and Astana cities.
Kazakhstan's existing airlines are Air Astana, Air Company MEGA, Avia Jaynar, Bek Air, Berkut Air, Euro-Asia Air, Excellent Glide, Irtysh-Air, SCAT, Semeyavia, Zhetysu, and Zhezkazgan Air.
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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva
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