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Air Astana JSC is the flagship of Kazakhstan aviation, the leading airline in Central Asia

At the Heart of Opportunity
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Connecting
key growth markets
We are the leading airline in Central Asia. We have a vibrant team culture that centres on excellence and operates with a great sense of pride and a strong sense of determination to maintain the high standards that our brand is built on. Nothing less will do
Our performance
reinforces our status
as the leading airline
in Central Asia
We have a unique opportunity. Kazakhstan sits at the crossroads of Eurasia, straddling burgeoning markets such as China, India and Russia. Air Astana’s purpose is to connect these markets, and nobody is better placed to take advantage of our unique hub location.
 
 
Total revenue +9.6%
USD millions
Increases in both domestic and international traffic supported revenue growth with a 48% increase in international transit traffic driving performance.
 
 
EBITDAR 130.9
USD millions
Profitability was preserved despite a 26% spike in fuel costs, thanks to high levels of operational efficiency.
 
 
Operating income 36.5
USD millions
Prudent financial and operational management led to a profitable year despite macro-economic headwinds.
 
Cost per Available Seat Kilometres (CASK) 5.63
US cents
Our CASK remains one of the lowest in the industry, substantially lower than full service carriers internationally and even some major European low-cost carriers.
 
Revenue Passenger Kilometres (RPK) +6%
billion
The increase in RPK reflects healthy ongoing demand for air travel and our ability to profitably capture this growth.
 
Number of
passengers +3%
million
Domestic
International
Transit
The number of passengers grew despite the late delivery of aircraft and significant increases in fuel prices. International traffic grew by 11%.
Air Astana is planning to capture substantial growth in these markets using our hubs in Astana and Almaty to transfer millions of passengers across multiple destinations of great strategic importance. By tapping into our strong culture, we can deliver an award-winning level of service in the latest, most efficient and advanced aircraft, yet operate from a low cost base thanks to a highly efficient operating structure and a dedicated team of professionals whose sole focus is to deliver excellence.
Sustaining our market leading position

We are proud to have developed our position as the leading airline in our market. We are widely recognised for living our values and providing a clearly differentiated service, retaining and growing our customer base and winning prestigious awards.

Air Astana has a clear edge when it comes to serving Kazakhstan and capturing the high growth markets that surround it… we provide value for money, high levels of comfort and market leading levels of punctuality. We continue to be well recognised in the industry for these qualities.

Nurzhan Baidauletov
Chairman of the Board
Our
mission
is to build one
of the finest airlines
in the world
69
Air routes
21
Countries
5210
Employees
8.3
Average
fleet age
34
Aircraft
in fleet
Awards and
recognition
Best Airline in Central Asia and India at the Skytrax World Airline Awards for the seventh year running in 2018
Gold Award for Business and Economy class (Europe/Africa) in TravelPlus Amenity Bag Awards
Business Traveller Award for best business class on medium-haul flights
Winner at the 2018 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards
OAG Punctuality League 2019 ranked Air Astana as the 12th most punctual mainline airline globally, and 7th in the Asia-Pacific region
The most attractive employer in Kazakhstan in 2018 according to Universum, the global leader in employer branding
5-Star Airline Rating at the 2018 APEX Awards
Visa Inc Award 2018 for driving e-com development
What sets
us apart
Quality
Passenger expectations are formed as much by comfort and service standards as they are by punctuality and reliability. We strive to provide the best quality customer experience from the moment a ticket is purchased to when a customer leaves the aircraft.
Efficiency
Our rigorous focus on efficiency drives our success and helps us maintain a low cost base as a key strategic advantage. This helps mitigate risks such as high fuel prices and provides scope to explore new opportunities.
Safety
We have an impeccable safety record. The implementation of the highest safety standards is engrained into our daily practices and we are fully compliant with the highest international technical and operational safety standards.
At the heart
of opportunity
The aviation market in Kazakhstan provides access to two major sources of growth. Domestic passenger growth is largely untapped and there is significant transit passenger growth potential thanks to increasing demand for a convenient point of connection between Russia, China and India.
Global air passenger growth remains robust and, despite a lack of stimulation in its domestic market, air traffic in Kazakhstan has doubled over the past decade to 8 million1 passengers, growing by 7% in 2018.
1 Data provided by the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of National Economy Statistics Committee.
Potential
Kazakhstan remains a heavily underdeveloped market. With less than 10% of the population flying domestically2, there is significant scope to stimulate the market.
2 Based on a large sample of Air Astana’s loyalty programme members.
Location
In 2018, transit traffic grew by 40%3 in Kazakhstan, reflecting enormous potential to tap into increasing levels of mobility in large neighbouring countries.
3 Data provided by the Civil Aviation Committee for Kazakhstan.
Low cost
We maintain market leading levels of operating efficiency and cost control, enabling us to operate an award-winning full-service carrier with a low-cost carrier structure.
Our
growth potential
Key growth
markets
Our route network comprises 69 international and domestic services from hubs in Almaty and Astana and is set to expand further.
Russia
143.9m
population
In 2018, growth in air passenger traffic in Russia reached 10%, while international traffic grew by 20% (According to the Transport Clearing House (TCH)). Growth is supported by the burgeoning development of regional air services in Russia, providing greater opportunities for Russians to fly to new domestic and regional destinations.
India
1.36bn
population
In 2018, India’s domestic air passenger traffic registered a healthy 18.6% growth to 1.7 billion passengers. Air passenger traffic in India is expected to grow further in 2019 through increased airport capacity and the growing impact of a 72-hour visa free regime extended to Indian passengers in Kazakhstan.
China
1.4bn
population
Growth in domestic and international traffic remains resilient despite the economic slowdown, and China is expected to be the world’s largest air travel market by as early as 2022. Additional flight capacity has been approved to account for substantial additional demand. Chinese passengers also benefit from a 72-hour visa free arrangement in Kazakhstan to encourage transfer activity.
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A Culture
of Excellence
To achieve our mission of becoming one of the world’s finest airlines, we are developing a corporate culture which reflects our values and ambitions.
Strong management team
Under the stewardship of an experienced and multinational management team, we have become the leading airline in Central Asia. Much of the team’s involvement with the airline dates back to our early years, and the strong blend of native Kazakh professionals possessing world-class qualifications alongside international airline experts creates a compelling mix.
Transparency
We provide high levels of transparency in our day-to-day activities, we strive to meet the highest levels of disclosure on operational and financial performance and we ensure that employees understand decisions that are taken to drive the business forward.
Long-term employees
Our people differentiate Air Astana. We have been recognised for three years in succession as the top employer in Kazakhstan by Universum and this is reflected in the quality of employees we attract. We help provide a backdrop for success by providing employees with excellent training and opportunities to flourish within the business. As a result, our employees have an average tenure of 6.4 years.
Customer focus
Our award-winning level of customer satisfaction is driven by excellence. We provide a world-class cabin experience, we are among the most punctual airlines in the world and passengers are treated as special guests. We engage with customers across multiple touch points to listen to their needs and we grant rewards through our Nomad Club loyalty programme.
© 2019 «Air Astana»
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