On May 19, 2026, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan, Michael Daniel, spoke at a government meeting about the existing risks to flight safety, Zakon.kz reports.

He stated that landfills located near the airports of Atyrau, Semey, Oskemen, Kokshetau, Balkhash, and Urzhar increase the likelihood of bird strikes involving aircraft and create operational restrictions for airlines.

“In 2025, 280 bird strike incidents involving aircraft were recorded, and 33 incidents occurred in the first quarter of this year alone. For example, the landfill near Atyrau Airport attracts birds and creates risks to flight safety,” he said.

He also pointed to the growing number of obstacles and the improper use of land in areas surrounding airports.

“Around 160 obstacles have been identified within the airfield vicinity of Almaty Airport and more than 150 near Shymkent Airport. To address these issues, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan has developed zoning plans for airfield-adjacent territories and submitted them to local authorities. However, in most cases, these zoning plans have still not been incorporated into the master development plans of populated areas, resulting in the continued emergence of new facilities and obstacles near airports. Stronger cooperation with local executive bodies is required, as it remains a key condition for ensuring flight safety and the sustainable development of airports,” the speaker noted.

Earlier, Daniel also spoke about the efforts being made to launch direct flights to the United States.