Togzhan Yerzhankyzy | 23.11.2025
Behind Air Astana’s Success
Air Astana is an airline from Kazakhstan that was awarded the Skytrax World Airline Awards for the 12th time as “Best Airline in Central Asia and CIS” and for the eighth time was awarded for “Best Airline Staff Service in Central Asia & CIS”. The ceremony honouring the winners took place in England.
The company flies to 94 destinations in 21 countries through two flagship brands: Air Astana, our full-service airline, and FlyArystan, a low-cost carrier. The airline started its journey in late 2001 and made its first flight at the beginning of 2002. In a small amount of time, the company became well-known and successful. Air Astana's success is driven by profound strategic decisions that have enabled the company to become a strong, well-managed and forward-thinking carrier.
So how did Air Astana become so successful in such a short time?
The company started its journey in 2001 and in 2002 made its first flight. The key to the company’s success is long-term leadership. Peter Foster- Air Astana CEO is one of the long-serving air company CEOs in the long. Under his leadership, the company gained a culture of discipline and professionalism. The company's stability has directly contributed to its high flight safety and customer loyalty. This method has allowed Air Astana to develop a clear, strong brand as an airline that prioritises safety, customer service, and long-term profitable growth.
If we talk about safety, the company puts the safety of passengers first. The company has been through audits by IOSA and has been recognised by international organisations for its high safety standards. As the fleet of aircraft is young, Air Astana faces fewer delays and cancellations, which strengthens the company's reputation as a punctual and efficient airline.
The company also prioritises consumer service. Investment in human capital is equally important. Air Astana is known for the strict selection of pilots and flight attendants, as well as the company provides training, modern simulators, cooperation with foreign training centres, and language training; all this forms a professional, international-level team. Passengers often note the politeness, competence, and service culture of the crews, and this is not an accident, but the result of systematic work. That is why passengers often note the politeness, competence and culture of the crew's service.
Air Astana is also an independent company, not a state-owned one. Although the shares of the company belong to Samruk Kazyna, the airline operates as a commercial, not as a political project. This is very important because many of the country's state-owned carriers are facing problems due to politicised assignments and imposed routes. Air Astana has managed to avoid these pitfalls thanks to strict professional, disciplined, financial and managerial standards.
Routes are opened only when they are economically justified. Investments in the fleet are made based on profitability and payback. Service and product development solutions are based on market research and international trends.
The location of our country, Kazakhstan, is also a key success factor because Kazakhstan is located next to Europe and Asia. This reduces costs, increases reliability and allows the airline to open longer and better routes, such as direct flights from Kazakhstan to Europe and America. Air Astana is capitalising on this advantage by cleverly developing hubs in Astana and Almaty, connecting numerous cities on two continents. The country's location also allows the company to open direct flights to European and Asian countries. This is also one of the reasons why many tourists choose Air Astana. This means a convenient travel experience, while for the company, it means expanded transit traffic and increased route efficiency.
FlyArystan is a Kazakhstani low-cost airline based in Almaty. Fly Arystan is a subsidiary of Air Astana. This dual-brand approach is widely used by global aviation companies such as Singapore Airlines-Scooter, Qantas-Jetstar.
Due to low prices, Kazakhs use Fly Arystan to travel between cities in Kazakhstan, increasing the profits of the two companies. Thanks to its subsidiary, Air Astana has also become highly appreciated among residents for providing high-quality and safe flights at affordable prices.
As a result, Air Astana has become not just an airline, but a symbol of modern, safe and hospitable Kazakhstan, open to the world. Its success is based on independent management, quality service and hospitality, and the combination of modern technology and a strong corporate culture. And it is these factors that have made Air Astana one of the most successful carriers in the region and the pride of the country. The company is not going to stop; they continue to grow and show itself from other heights, having its own impact on Kazakhstan's economy.
The company flies to 94 destinations in 21 countries through two flagship brands: Air Astana, our full-service airline, and FlyArystan, a low-cost carrier. The airline started its journey in late 2001 and made its first flight at the beginning of 2002. In a small amount of time, the company became well-known and successful. Air Astana's success is driven by profound strategic decisions that have enabled the company to become a strong, well-managed and forward-thinking carrier.
So how did Air Astana become so successful in such a short time?
The company started its journey in 2001 and in 2002 made its first flight. The key to the company’s success is long-term leadership. Peter Foster- Air Astana CEO is one of the long-serving air company CEOs in the long. Under his leadership, the company gained a culture of discipline and professionalism. The company's stability has directly contributed to its high flight safety and customer loyalty. This method has allowed Air Astana to develop a clear, strong brand as an airline that prioritises safety, customer service, and long-term profitable growth.
If we talk about safety, the company puts the safety of passengers first. The company has been through audits by IOSA and has been recognised by international organisations for its high safety standards. As the fleet of aircraft is young, Air Astana faces fewer delays and cancellations, which strengthens the company's reputation as a punctual and efficient airline.
The company also prioritises consumer service. Investment in human capital is equally important. Air Astana is known for the strict selection of pilots and flight attendants, as well as the company provides training, modern simulators, cooperation with foreign training centres, and language training; all this forms a professional, international-level team. Passengers often note the politeness, competence, and service culture of the crews, and this is not an accident, but the result of systematic work. That is why passengers often note the politeness, competence and culture of the crew's service.
Air Astana is also an independent company, not a state-owned one. Although the shares of the company belong to Samruk Kazyna, the airline operates as a commercial, not as a political project. This is very important because many of the country's state-owned carriers are facing problems due to politicised assignments and imposed routes. Air Astana has managed to avoid these pitfalls thanks to strict professional, disciplined, financial and managerial standards.
Routes are opened only when they are economically justified. Investments in the fleet are made based on profitability and payback. Service and product development solutions are based on market research and international trends.
The location of our country, Kazakhstan, is also a key success factor because Kazakhstan is located next to Europe and Asia. This reduces costs, increases reliability and allows the airline to open longer and better routes, such as direct flights from Kazakhstan to Europe and America. Air Astana is capitalising on this advantage by cleverly developing hubs in Astana and Almaty, connecting numerous cities on two continents. The country's location also allows the company to open direct flights to European and Asian countries. This is also one of the reasons why many tourists choose Air Astana. This means a convenient travel experience, while for the company, it means expanded transit traffic and increased route efficiency.
FlyArystan is a Kazakhstani low-cost airline based in Almaty. Fly Arystan is a subsidiary of Air Astana. This dual-brand approach is widely used by global aviation companies such as Singapore Airlines-Scooter, Qantas-Jetstar.
Due to low prices, Kazakhs use Fly Arystan to travel between cities in Kazakhstan, increasing the profits of the two companies. Thanks to its subsidiary, Air Astana has also become highly appreciated among residents for providing high-quality and safe flights at affordable prices.
As a result, Air Astana has become not just an airline, but a symbol of modern, safe and hospitable Kazakhstan, open to the world. Its success is based on independent management, quality service and hospitality, and the combination of modern technology and a strong corporate culture. And it is these factors that have made Air Astana one of the most successful carriers in the region and the pride of the country. The company is not going to stop; they continue to grow and show itself from other heights, having its own impact on Kazakhstan's economy.
