Airline News
Central Asian carriers expand
July 27th 2015
Kazakh flag carrier Air Astana, a member of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) since November 2014, has reported a net profit of $8.3 million in first-half 2015, reversing a $36.4 million loss in the corresponding year-ago period. Read More » The carrier’s chief, Peter Foster, said the improved results were due to cheaper fuel and other cost-savings measures, plus continued expansion with new routes from its Astana hub to Bangkok, Paris, Seoul, and Tbilisi. However, Foster cautioned he did “expect 2015 to be a stellar year,” given that Air Astana’s “regional markets remained sluggish due to currency weakness and falling commodity prices,” but its “low unit cost and expanded network” would allow it to take full advantage of market recovery when it comes,” the CEO added.
To replace its five B757-200s, Air Astana in June signed lease agreements with Air Lease Corporation for seven A320-family aircraft, comprising two A320neo, an A321neo and four A321LRs. Of the order, one A320neo is scheduled for delivery in spring 2016, with the remaining six aircraft to be delivered in 2018 and 2019. The A321LRs could potentially replace the carrier’s B767-300ERs on thinner long-haul routes, such as Almaty-Heathrow or Almaty-Hong Kong.
Over in neighbouring Tajikistan, Tajik Air director of flight operations, Faizullo Sattorov, last week told local media the Dushanbe-based carrier would acquire three additional aircraft, type undisclosed, through operating leases “in the coming months” to expand its network with new destinations in Russia, China and Turkey. At press time, Tajik Air’s fleet comprised a B737-300, two B737-400s, two B757-200s, and a MA-60. To help consolidate its operations and revenue base, the carrier recently completed a merger with Dushanbe International Airport to form the Aviation Company of Tajikistan OSHC headed by Rustam Kholikov.
Meanwhile, in Uzbekistan, national carrier Uzbekistan Airways is awaiting delivery of two B787-8s, plus one spare engine. The first -8 and the spare engine are due for delivery in June 2016, with the second due in August that year. They will join its nine B767-300ERs used on flights throughout Central Asia, India, Israel, Europe, the Far East and the U.S. East Coast.
