ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s flagship carrier, Air Astana, maintained its Skytrax 4 Star rating and was again named Best Airline in Central Asia and India at the 2013 World Airline Awards ceremony June 18 at the 50th Paris Air Show.
The airline first won these awards at the 2012 awards. Air Astana also won the Best Staff Service in Central Asia and India Award. Eleven-year-old Air Astana is the first carrier in Russia, Eastern Europe, and the Commonwealth of Independent States to have won these awards.
The star ratings and awards are determined both by professional quality analyses, as well as passenger satisfaction surveys covering a range of service indicators, including check-in processes, seat comfort and food and entertainment among other criteria. The World Airline Awards are the primary public mechanism for marking passenger satisfaction across more than 200 airlines around the world.
“On behalf of over 4,000 dedicated Air Astana staff, I’m greatly honoured to receive the latest World Airline awards, which re-confirm our status as the leading carrier from Central Asia,” said Air Astana President Peter Foster at the award ceremony. “We greatly appreciate the support of every passenger choosing Air Astana and rating our in-flight service so highly. Our dedicated staff will continue to provide the very highest standards of service and make each journey pleasant and comfortable.”
At the air show, Air Astana also displayed one of its latest Embraer E-190 airliners, the airline’s seventh aircraft of this type. Foster said he was proud to have the new E-190, named after famous Kazakh actress Amina Umurzakova, on display. “(The E-190’s) popularity in service over the past two years has greatly contributed to our success,” he said.
On July 17th, the company reported an 11 percent increase in passengers in the first half of 2013 as compared to 2012. Air Astana’s current fleet comprises 26 aircraft, including Boeing and Airbus planes.
Air Astana is a full member of the International Air Transport Association. It operates flights across Central, East, and South East Asia as well as Europe and the Middle East. The national airline is a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s Samruk Kazyna National Welfare Fund and BAE Systems.
