On the instructions of the Head of State, Kazakhstan started construction of three new airports in the resort areas of Zaisan, Katon-Karagai and Kendirli to develop domestic tourism and passenger air travel. The implementation of these projects will give an impetus to the development of the economy of these regions, as well as contribute to the inflow of domestic and foreign tourists. These projects will create additional jobs for the local population.

At the same time, for the development of major hubs, three new passenger terminals were commissioned in 2024 as part of the modernisation of air transport infrastructure. In the cities of Almaty, Shymkent and Kyzylorda, the capacity of passenger terminals has been qualitatively increased.

For example, the capacity of Almaty International Airport was increased from 2.5 million to 14 million passengers per year. Domestic airlines Air Astana, SCAT, Qazaq Air, Fly Arystan perform regular flights to 19 cities of Kazakhstan. There are also international flights to 26 countries on 50 routes by 30 foreign airlines.

The capacity of the new terminal of Shymkent Airport has been increased from 800 thousand to 6 million passengers per year. The number of international air routes was increased to 10 and flights to 24 per week. Air services to Jeddah, Medina, Doha, Fukuok and Phuket were opened.

At the international airport ‘Korkyt Ata’ in Kyzylorda the capacity was increased from 300 thousand to 2 million passengers per year. Today, 25 domestic flights are operated from Kyzylorda.

In addition, the country is implementing a project with the Kazakh-German company ‘Skyhansa’ in the special economic zone ‘Khorgos - Eastern Gate’ to build a passenger terminal with a capacity of up to 500 people/hour, a fuel storage facility with a capacity of up to 550 thousand tonnes/year, a cargo terminal with full cargo handling of up to 250 thousand tonnes/year, the creation of an aviation technical centre for aircraft maintenance, as well as the development of tourism and trade and entertainment services for the population with the creation of more than 300 permanent jobs.

In recent years, air transport has become increasingly convenient and attractive for passengers. For example, air transport in Kazakhstan is growing by 10-15% annually. In 2024, Kazakhstani airlines transported about 15 million people, airports served 30 million passengers, including foreign airlines. In addition to passenger traffic, the volume of air cargo traffic is also growing. In 2024, their volume will be increased to 28,000 tonnes per year.

An important element in the development of the domestic air transport system is the renewal of the aircraft fleet. Every year it is replenished with 10-15 aircraft. Today, the aircraft fleet of Kazakhstan consists of 102 aircraft.

International air communication from Kazakhstan is established with 31 countries (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, South Korea, China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic) on 117 routes with frequency of 582 flights per week.

All necessary conditions have been created at Kazakhstan's airports for citizens with special needs. Ground staff receive regular specialised training in first aid, including full escort for citizens with special needs. Ambulifts, wheelchairs, tactile tiles for the blind and sound navigation systems are provided.

The country's international airports provide rooms for mothers and children, currency exchange offices, postal services and wireless Internet. A number of airlines have also introduced mobile applications to speed up the online check-in process. The whole range of services provided is aimed at improving the quality and accessibility for all categories of citizens.

The growth of passenger air travel and the expansion of the route network will increase domestic and foreign tourism, which in turn will increase the investment attractiveness of the regions.

International recognition of the development of the aviation industry in Kazakhstan also depends on flight safety. The level of compliance with global flight safety standards in Kazakhstan is 82 per cent, which is the highest among CIS countries.

These results are an indicator of the positive dynamics of aviation tourism development in Kazakhstan, which contributes to strengthening the country's economic potential and increasing its attractiveness in the international arena.

#Civil aviation #Infrastructural development #Transport