Kazakhstan Eyes Expansion Of European Air Links

The Kazakhstan Transport Ministry is seeking to expand the Central Asian country’s links with destinations in Europe, targeting service to cities in Austria, Germany, Hungary and Latvia.

The move comes after Kazakhstan Civil Aviation Committee Chair Saltanat Tompiyeva and European Commission official  Simon Brain, a policy officer for international aviation in the Mobility and Transport department, prepared an agreement between Kazakhstan and the European Union on some aspects of air transportation at a meeting in Luxembourg.

“This procedure is the final step in preparing the agreement for signing and is the legal basis for all EU countries in opening direct flights to Kazakhstan in the future,” the Kazakh government said in an Oct. 15 statement. “It also strengthens the cooperation between Kazakhstan and the countries of the European Union in terms of air traffic development.”

The pact builds on progress made earlier this year, when the EC lifted all remaining restrictions for Kazakhstani carriers on flights to the EU from Kazakhstan.

Kazakh airlines were initially blocked by the EU in 2009 due to poor compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. Only Air Astana was allowed to operate limited flights into the bloc.

Restrictions were lifted in 2018 after improvements in flight safety, but the 2019 Bek Air crash prompted further scrutiny. In May 2024, the EU fully lifted restrictions following a technical assessment, recognizing significant advancements in Kazakhstan's aviation safety, including its certification, control and supervision systems.

Analysis of OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Kazakhstan currently has nonstop flights to five countries in the EU—Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Poland—alongside summer season service to Greece. At present, there are a combined 25 flights per week.

Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry says routes to Budapest, Munich, Riga and Vienna are future targets, with SCAT Airlines planning to launch a 2X-weekly service to Vienna in spring 2025.