Air Astana Grows Network Despite Airspace Closures

Air Astana reported strong network and capacity growth in the first half of 2025, overcoming disruptions from Middle East and India airspace closures while expanding into key Asian and Gulf markets.

The Kazakhstan-based group, comprising full-service Air Astana and low-cost FlyArystan, added 20 new routes and increased capacity by 17.8% year-on-year. CEO Peter Foster highlighted China, the Caucasus, India, and Saudi Arabia as primary growth markets. Sixth-freedom traffic—connecting Central Asia and the Caucasus with long-haul destinations—rose 30% in the same period.

Air Astana now operates 129 routes, including 91 international services. The Chinese market has fully recovered, with new services such as Almaty–Guangzhou and a new codeshare with China Southern Airlines covering Beijing, Urumqi, and Guangzhou. In India, operations briefly paused in May due to airspace closures but have since resumed, with demand from Indian travelers now exceeding 60% of passenger traffic on India routes.

The group operates a streamlined fleet of 61 aircraft—34 with Air Astana and 27 with FlyArystan—comprising Airbus A320-family aircraft and Boeing 767s. The final Embraer E2 retired in May, and six A321LRs have been modified with auxiliary fuel tanks for long-haul services such as Almaty–London and Astana–Phuket, with Almaty–Tokyo planned for March 2026.

First-half 2025 financial results show revenue and other income at $658.2 million, up 12.1% year-on-year. Profit after tax more than doubled to $10.7 million, while EBITDA rose to $157 million, with margins improving to 23.9%. The airline credited fleet simplification and expanded MRO capabilities for enhancing efficiency and resilience.

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