Dear Air Astana flyer,

In last month’s edition of tengri I announced the resumption of many of

Air Astana and Flyarystan’s domestic flights, and a number of Air Astana’s international flights. This proved premature as flights to Turkey and Georgia were further suspended, by government decision of both countries, following a rise in COVID-19 cases in Kazakhstan. As I write, the epidemic seems to have partially receded and therefore flights to Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Dubai, Seoul and Kiev have resumed, with flights to Turkey, Georgia, Russia, Uzbekistan and

Thailand expected soon. As the world is discovering, resumption of international air travel is a stop-start affair as countries’ infection rates fluctuate, however let us hope that the global trend moves lower. The good news is that infection rates on aircraft appear low to non-existent, doubtless helped by the stringent sanitary measures enforced by the crews of both our airlines, your cooperation with which I would like to offer sincere thanks for. Our domestic schedule continues to grow, with Flyarystan having now established actual or virtual bases at Atyrau, Shymkent and Karaganda in addition to its primary bases at Almaty and Nur-sultan. Customers now have a wide choice of direct low-cost air travel across the axes of the country, without necessarily having to transit through Almaty or Nur-sultan.

A positive side effect of the crisis has been the early retirement of our Boeing 757 fleet and the deployment of brandnew Airbus 321 Long Range (‘LR’) aircraft on all major international routes. The LR is a perfect aircraft for both passengers and crews, with its luxurious interiors and amenities in both Business and Economy Classes and its operational range and fuel-efficiency. If you have not yet had the chance to experience it, an LR flight is something to look forward to in this new age of travel.

I wish you a pleasant flight with us today. Yours truly