Air Astana, the fast expanding flag carrier of Kazakhstan, has announced the launch of a new twice-weekly nonstop service between its home base in Almaty with Hong Kong commencing February 2012. In addition a second new destination, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, will be added to its flight network from Almaty in October 2012.
Further growth is planned with extra frequencies from Almaty to Bangkok (5 times a week) , Delhi (four times a week) and Kuala Lumpur ( three times a week) from December 2011.
These two new routes are in addition to increased flight frequency on routes from Almaty to Bangkok, Delhi and Kuala Lumpur starting in December 2011 and the impending arrival of six new Embraer 190 jets likely to used on regional flights from Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan's two largest cities. Air Astana currently operates a fleet of 25 aircraft, the fleet comprising two Boeing 767-300ERs, four Boeing 757-200s, 10 Airbus A320-family jets, three Embraer 190s and six Fokker 50 turboprops. A fifth Boeing 757 will join the fleet in December 2011. The airline serves 23 domestic and 31 international destinations.
Almaty is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city and is fast becoming a major centre for financial services. Alternative Airlines has a special relationship with Air Astana and for competitively prices flights to Astana and Almaty use the alternative airlines online booking facility.
