Kazakhstan and the United States have signed the Air Transport (Open Skies) Agreement, according to Kazakhstani Ministry of Industry and Infrastructural Development.
On behalf of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Minister of Industry and Infrastructural Development Beibut Atamkulov signed the agreement. On behalf of the United States, the agreement was signed by U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan William H. Moser.
According to the ministry, this is the first agreement for Kazakhstan that enforces the Open Sky policy under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recommendations for further liberalization of air transport. The agreement provides more opportunities for airlines that serve flights between Kazakhstan and the U.S. It includes unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime, and open code-sharing opportunities.
The agreement establishes a basis for direct flights between the two countries as well as facilitates further expansion of strategic partnerships with the United States.
Direct flights between these countries will promote tourism and political, economic, and cultural relations. They will also increase transport availability of the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the ministry says.
On November 11, 2019, Kazakhstan adopted Open Sky rules for three foreign airlines at eleven of the country’s airports. The Open Sky agreements provide unrestricted capacity and frequency of services including fifth air freedom on routes where Kazakhstani airlines do not work. The duration of the agreement may be extended in the future.
