Air Astana CEO meets President Tokayev

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Air Astana CEO Ibrahim Canliel, who briefed him on the airline’s financial performance. During the meeting, the president also addressed several ongoing issues, citing public dissatisfaction with the carrier’s services.

Tokayev spoke candidly about the airline’s frequent flight delays and last-minute aircraft substitutions, describing the public criticism as justified. He instructed the company to improve its flight schedule while expanding air connections with countries that represent promising tourism markets for Kazakhstan.

Fleet expansion plans

Canliel presented the airline’s development strategy, which aims to transform Kazakhstan into a regional aviation hub. A key part of the plan is a major fleet expansion. Deliveries of next-generation Boeing 787 Dreamliners are scheduled between 2026 and 2027. The airline has also placed firm orders for up to 50 Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft. In addition, it has ordered 15 Boeing 787-9 aircraft for long-haul routes, with deliveries scheduled through 2036.

According to Tokayev, expanding the fleet and strengthening Kazakhstan’s transit potential are strategic priorities. He also emphasized that launching direct flights between Kazakhstan and the U.S. and Japan remains one of the national airline’s key long-term goals. Moreover, Air Astana has been tasked with accelerating the digitalization of its services and expanding multimodal transportation.