OMM Newsroom
Kazakhstan’s Air Astana is accelerating its expansion in Asia and plans to double the number of its flights to China again over the next one to two years. The shift, which began in response to aviation restrictions in the Middle East, has become part of the airline’s long-term growth strategy, AnewZ reports.
The airline increased its weekly flights to China from 23 last summer to 52. Its Chinese network has grown from four cities at the beginning of 2025 to eight now.
Speaking ahead of an industry event in Kuala Lumpur, Air Astana Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Canliel said the company sees significant potential in the Chinese market. “We should fly to any city in China with an international airport,” he said, pointing to the scale of demand even in smaller cities.
Middle East restrictions prompt expansion of Asian routes
The airline’s pivot to Asia accelerated after the Iran conflict, which began in late February, led to the closure of much of the Middle Eastern airspace. At the time, about 15% of Air Astana’s capacity was allocated to Middle Eastern destinations. The airline quickly redirected aircraft to China, India, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
Canliel said the company had reworked the following month’s flight schedule within 48 hours and completed broader changes for the summer season in five days.
“What we thought of as a way out of a crisis actually showed us the type and scale of the capabilities we have,” Canliel said.
In the first half of the year, passenger traffic involving transit connections rose 81%. Transit passengers now account for about 14% of international traffic, up from 9% last year. Canliel expects passengers travelling on connecting flights to make up about half of international passenger traffic over the next decade.
Air Astana is also strengthening its position in India, where allocated capacity has increased by more than 80%. Canliel said the airline could comfortably double its capacity in India within 12 months if it secured the necessary flight rights.
The carrier has resumed flights to Dubai and launched services to Oman. Flights to Saudi Arabia remain suspended while safety assessments are conducted twice a day. “We will not fly there until we are sure it is safe to do so,” Canliel said.
Even if the situation in the Persian Gulf returns to normal, the airline does not plan to abandon its expansion in Asia. One reason is the high profitability of its China routes.
Fleet expansion planned for growth beyond 2030
Air Astana currently operates 65 aircraft and aims to increase its fleet to 86. Canliel said existing orders would not be enough both to replace ageing aircraft and to support future growth.
Last year, the airline announced plans to acquire up to 50 Airbus A320neo-family aircraft and 15 Boeing 787-9s. However, orders for 25 Airbus aircraft and five Boeing aircraft have been confirmed.
The company has not yet begun talks with manufacturers about acquiring additional narrow-body aircraft. As demand in Asia grows, Air Astana is preparing to move beyond its traditional regional operations and strengthen its position as an international transit carrier.
