ASTANA – Almaty has embarked on the largest airport transformation effort in Kazakhstan’s history with the launch of the Horizon master plan, a strategic development program aimed at transforming the Almaty International Airport into a major aviation hub in Eurasia by 2050, TengriNews reported on Aug. 6.
Photo credit: Almaty International Airport Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The Horizon project is divided into five phases, with the first one running from 2025 until the end of 2028. During this stage, 130 projects worth $362 million will be implemented. The development is funded through the airport’s own resources, bank loans, and private investments without any state guarantees or budget subsidies.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, which gathered representatives of government, business, airlines, public organizations, and industry veterans, Almaty International Airport President Goker Kose said the airport will serve 12.5 million passengers this year, half of them international, with 150 daily flights.
“Horizon is our response to the challenges of the time. We are creating a modern, environmentally friendly, and technological infrastructure capable of serving up to 40 million passengers per year,” he said.
The first phase of the project includes the full reconstruction of the domestic terminal, the construction of a 4,400-meter taxiway, a concrete-surfaced runway, and a new anti-icing pad equipped with a reagent collection and recycling system.
It will also cover the redevelopment of the VIP apron and aircraft parking, a cargo apron and hangar, a new hotel and multi-level parking facility, and upgrades to the airfield complex and fueling systems.
The project will also have a social impact. More than 1,800 construction jobs and 550 permanent jobs are expected to be created in the first phase. Special attention is paid to the environment. For the first time, a large-scale noise insulation program for nearby residential buildings is being implemented. Twenty houses have already been insulated, with plans to reach 100 by year’s end and 300 in the future.
In addition, the airport will have a modern anti-icing platform capable of collecting and processing reagents without harming the environment – one of the first such projects in Central Asia.
Upon completion of all Horizon phases in 2050, Almaty Airport is expected to feature a capacity for 40 million passengers per year, up to 150 aircraft parking spaces, three runways, a logistics center, aerospace zone, manufacturing facilities, and a special economic zone.
