Dear Air Astana flyer,

On 29 October 2018 a rare occurrence took place in the Tien Shan mountains south of Almaty: a motion-activated camera shot 21 seconds of video footage of a female snow leopard and her two cubs, silently and elegantly making slow, graceful progress in single file along a remote snow-covered ridge. This beautiful wild cat, Panthera uncia, has long been on the list of the IUCN’S (International Union for Conservation of Nature) protected species. Its population may have shrunk to as few as 3,500 in the wild, with only a few hundred in Kazakhstan, due to poaching and human encroachment into its natural habitat. Air Astana is honoured to have the opportunity to sponsor the non-profit Wildlife Without Borders, attached to the Institute of Zoology and an offshoot of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education and Science, which is spearheading efforts to protect the animals in the wild. At a recent ceremony in Astana for the introduction of our Embraer E2, we presented a donation to Dr Yuriy Grachev of WWB for the provision of transport and other equipment, to be used in the remote locations of their remaining habitat.

The E2 has itself been painted in the colours of the snow leopard in order to draw attention to the work of Dr Grachev and his colleagues. The aircraft, of which Air Astana is the world’s second operator, is the most modern regional jet in the world’s skies today. Its reduced carbon footprint of approximately 17% over its predecessor the E190, and its reduced noise level (making its cabin probably the quietest ever) demonstrates a clear commitment on the part of Embraer, and Air Astana, to the development of an environmentally sustainable aviation industry. Its 108 Business and Economy slim seats, mood-lit cabin and entertainment system will ensure a comfortable and relaxing flight on our regional routes.

I wish you a pleasant flight with Air Astana today.

Yours sincerely,

Peter Foster

President & CEO Air Astana