The first direct flight between Almaty and Tokyo operated by Kazakhstan’s flag carrier Air Astana is scheduled for Nov. 30. Kursiv LifeStyle looks at the details.
Flights will operate twice a week to Narita International Airport on Airbus A321LR aircraft, with both economy and business class available.
Flight KC171 flight from Almaty to Tokyo will depart on Mondays and Thursdays at 9:55 p.m. and arrive in the Japanese capital at 9:25 a.m. the following day. The return flight, KC172, will depart Tokyo on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:55 a.m. and arrive in Almaty at 4:20 p.m.
The flight from Almaty to Tokyo takes 7 hours and 30 minutes, while the return flight takes 9 hours and 25 minutes.
Round-trip fares start at 350,552 tenge (approximately $781.28) in economy class and 1,398,918 tenge ($3,117.79) in business class. The price includes all duties and fees.
Kazakhstanis need a visa to travel to Japan. A direct Almaty-Tokyo route has also been discussed for several years.
According to experts, the route will be an important step in developing tourism and business ties between the two countries. Up to 7,000 Japanese tourists are expected to visit Kazakhstan in the first year after the launch.
