Air Astana Group Expands Fleet to 60 Aircraft Milestone

Air Astana Group fleet has grown to sixty aircraft following the arrival of a new Airbus A320neo in Almaty. Full-service carrier Air Astana now has a fleet of 35 aircraft, while low-cost carrier FlyArystan operates 25.

Both carriers in the Group have grown rapidly with an increasing number of the latest generation Airbus A321LR and Airbus A320neo aircraft at the forefront of Air Astana’s network expansion to destinations across Asia, Europe and the Middle East. FlyArystan continues to boost low-cost services throughout Kazakhstan and Central Asia, together with an increasing number of longer-range flights to Georgia, China and the Middle East.

Also Read: Ethiopian Airlines Expands to Porto, Portugal.

“Expanding our fleet to 60 aircraft is a significant milestone for Air Astana Group and an important step towards accomplishing our strategic plans,” said Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group. “We will continue to invest in modern aircraft and expand our route network, offering passengers even more opportunities for convenient and affordable travel both within the region and beyond”.

The Air Astana Group fleet is destined to expand further in the next few years, with the total reaching 80 aircraft by 2028.

Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions by revenue and fleet size. The Group operates a fleet of 60 aircraft split between Air Astana, its full-service airline that operated its inaugural flight in 2002, and FlyArystan, its low-cost airline established in 2019.

FlyArystan was one of the first LCCs in Central Asia. It provides scheduled shorthaul and medium-haul, point-to-point air travel across Kazakhstan and further into the Caucasus, Central Asia, Turkey and the Middle East.

Air Astana is Kazakhstan’s leading carrier and largest airline brand by revenue and fleet size. As a full-service airline brand, it provides scheduled and charter, point-to-point and transit, short-haul and long-haul air travel and cargo on domestic, regional and international routes.

Air Astana offers a network of predominately point-to-point routes in growing markets to tap into increasing levels of mobility in Kazakhstan and its near-home markets. Read more about the airline here.

Conversions to account 60% of new freighters in 20 years

Conversions will account for over 60% of new freighters over the next 20 years, according to the latest data from Airbus.

In its latest Global Market Forecast (GMF), the airframer predicted there will be global demand for 2,510 freighter aircraft during the period 2023-2042.

920 of these will be newbuild and 1,590 will be conversions.

600 of the total freighter aircraft will be large widebody (> 80 t) aircraft, 890 will be mid-size widebody (40 t – 80 t) aircraft, and 1,020 will be single aisle (10 t-40 t) aircraft.

This will see the world freighter fleet in service reach 3,230 aircraft by 2042.

In its GMF, Airbus predicted demand for 40,850 new passenger & freighter aircraft during the period 2023-2042.

This is 1,360 more than in the 2022 GMF.

The Middle East is due to receive the most passenger and freighter aircraft, followed by Africa, and Europe & CIS.

Growth of express air cargo will exceed general air cargo, said Airbus. In 2019, the express sector comprised 17% of the total air cargo market, while in 2042 it will comprise 25% of the market.