Peter Foster Photo credit: azh.kz
Air Astana presented its 2015 corporate social responsibility report Jan. 27 in Astana. The document focused mainly on environmental and safety issues, economic contributions, services and community-based initiatives, as well as labour relations.
Air Astana President Peter Foster also highlighted the results of the past year and shared the airline’s plans for 2016.
“During 2015, the company achieved a profit of $47.7 million, which is 144 percent greater than in 2014. The number of passengers we transported increased by 2 percent in comparison to the past year and totalled 3.86 million people. At the same time, the company’s sales turnover decreased by 21 percent and made $738.1 million. This appeared as a consequence of the current difficult market conditions,” he said.
Air Astana was able to compensate for the declining profitability with significantly-reduced costs for aviation kerosene. At the same time, the reduction of flight prices was not foreseen, except for short-term offerings.
Foster added the airline plans to open new flights this year to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and Tehran, Iran.
During the event, national carrier representatives talked about the company’s activities in the social sphere.
“We are very proud that we are in a position which allows us to continue our participation in charitable projects in Kazakhstan. We will continue supporting the Great Patriotic War veterans, as well as children who need medical care abroad. In 2015, we supported the carriage of 130 children. During the first three weeks of the current year, 11 children were transported for treatment abroad at the expense of the company. The company also plans to enlarge its participation in charity projects,” said Foster.
The aim of the report was to present the main aspects of the company’s activity and strategic plans, as well as raise public awareness and improve the efficiency of interaction between Air Astana and its partners.
The airline contributes to improving the ecological situation in Kazakhstan by reducing harmful emissions into the atmosphere, which is achieved by fleet renewal, route optimisation and waste recycling. In addition, Air Astana adheres to strict safety standards by improving the level of safety and services both on the ground and on board. The company provides jobs for more than 4,600 employees and invests heavily in the training of pilots and flight attendants.
