ASTANA – Kazakhstan is expanding its international air connectivity by launching a new route to Georgia and reaching an agreement with China to increase the number of weekly passenger flights and deepen cooperation in civil aviation.
Photo credit: FlyArystan
Starting July 14, Kazakh low-cost carrier FlyArystan launched a new weekly service between Atyrau and Batumi, Georgia, operated with Airbus A320 aircraft. The new route is expected to support tourism and strengthen ties between the two countries.
Meanwhile, representatives of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee under the Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) held talks in Beijing to expand bilateral aviation cooperation, the ministry’s press service reported on July 15.
The talks were led by Saltanat Tompiyeva, chair of Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee, and Bai Wenli, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Administration of China.
The two officials agreed to increase the number of regular passenger flights available to airlines from both countries from 124 to 152 per week. They also expanded the list of Chinese destinations open for flights with Kazakhstan to 11 cities by adding Chongqing, one of China’s largest transport, logistics and industrial hubs.
The discussions also covered the launch of direct flights between Astana and Shanghai, including by Chinese airlines, and the creation of a third international air corridor between Kazakhstan and China. The new corridor is expected to increase airspace capacity, optimize flight routes, reduce congestion on existing airways and support further growth in air traffic between the two countries.
In addition, they discussed airport slot allocation for Kazakh airlines in China, access to Chinese airspace, and the conclusion of an interagency agreement on aviation search-and-rescue cooperation for civil aircraft.
Tompiyeva and Bai reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening civil aviation cooperation and agreed to continue working to expand air connectivity, improve transport links and reinforce the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China.
