On the occasion of International Civil Aviation Day we traditionally present the results of the outgoing year in the aviation sector.

A historic event for Kazakhstan’s civil aviation this year was the meeting between President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and the President of the ICAO Council, Salvatore Sciacchitano, on November 12, 2024, during the World Climate Summit in Baku.

The Head of State noted that over 30 years of fruitful cooperation with ICAO, Kazakhstan’s compliance with the Organization’s standards has reached 82%, comparable to the level of leading European countries.

Salvatore Sciacchitano congratulated Kazakhstan on its impressive achievements in civil aviation and safety and announced his plans to visit Astana in 2025.

In the first ten months of 2024, Kazakh airlines transported 12.3 million passengers, an 11% increase compared to the same period in 2023 (11.1 million passengers). The volume of cargo transported by air reached 22,400 tons, an 18% increase from the same period in 2023 (19,000 tons).

During this period, domestic airports served 25.2 million passengers, a 14% increase from the same period in 2023 (22 million passengers), and handled 141,700 tons of cargo, a 34% increase from the same period in 2023 (105,700 tons).

Currently, six airlines (Air Astana, FlyArystan, SCAT, Qazaq Air, Southern Sky, Zhetysu) operate domestic flights on 57 routes with a frequency of 669 flights per week (2023: five airlines, 51 routes, 630 flights per week).

To ensure the accessibility of socially significant destinations and promote domestic tourism, 19 domestic routes in nine regions are subsidized for a total of 6.6 billion tenge.

International air services connect Kazakhstan to 31 countries (Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Oman, Egypt, Kuwait, South Korea, China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Mongolia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Maldives, Turkey, UK, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic) via 115 routes with a frequency of 571 flights per week (2023: 28 countries, 115 routes, 550 flights per week).

Efforts to expand the fleet of aircraft continue. Since the beginning of 2024, Kazakh airlines have added ten aircraft (Air Astana Group, A321 model).

At the expense of private investments, without attracting budget funds, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as part of the modernization of the air transport infrastructure, the construction of new passenger terminals in Kyzylorda and Almaty was completed, also being completed in Shymkent.

The construction of a new terminal at Atyrau Airport, named after Khuaz Dospanova, will also be funded through private investments and is set to begin in 2025. In September 2024, the runway at Astana Airport was repaired ahead of schedule.

Repair works have also begun at Pavlodar and Balkhash airports, as directed by the President this year.

In his Address to the Nation, the President emphasized the development of aviation hubs and the importance of expanding domestic air routes. Airports and terminals will be built in the resort areas of Katon-Karagai, Zaysan, and Kendirli, with quality road infrastructure. Additionally, small aviation aircraft will be procured through the Industrial Development Fund.

The result of the efforts of the aviation authorities of our country to ensure high standards of aviation safety can also be called Kazakhstan's entry into the top 5 most developing tourist destinations. According to the prestigious British travel magazine Wanderlust, Kazakhstan is one of the most desirable countries for tourists from all over the world to visit.

These achievements were made possible thanks to effective regulation of the aviation industry. The creation and implementation of new regulatory acts, as well as the improvement of existing regulations, have enhanced both safety and passenger service quality. National and international initiatives have played a key role in standardizing and improving aviation safety.

As a result of the measures taken, Kazakhstan was removed from the European Commission’s enhanced flight safety monitoring list following a technical visit by experts from the European Commission, EASA, and EU aviation authorities. Kazakh airlines can now operate flights to Europe without restrictions.

In August 2024, the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan successfully passed a preliminary technical evaluation by the FAA under the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program. Following the successful completion of the FAA audit and the delivery of Boeing 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft in 2026, direct flights between Kazakhstan and the USA are planned.

2024 marked significant milestones for Kazakhstan’s civil aviation, including high-profile events involving international organizations. Efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and establish a robust international presence continue.

Kazakhstan was officially represented in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). In July, the Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to ICAO, Timur Tlegenov, presented his credentials to the Secretary General of the Organization, Juan Carlos Salazar, who highly praised Kazakhstan's achievements and role on the international stage. He emphasized the country's authority in maintaining good relations with all nations and international organizations.

In May this year, Astana hosted the Plenary Meeting of JARUS, the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems, the world’s largest organization in the field of aviation drones, which brought together representatives from 65 countries and international organizations.

In June, for the first time among Central Asian countries, a regional forum on cargo transportation and logistics was held in Astana under the auspices of the International Air Cargo Association (TIACA). The event was attended by over 300 delegates from 30 countries, representing various organizations involved in the entire freight transportation chain.

In November, Kazakhstan hosted the ICAO Week for the first time, organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization, one of the most significant UN bodies in the field of civil aviation.

The event became a milestone for the aviation industry of both the country and the region as a whole. Global industry experts focused on regional seminars to raise awareness about risk assessment processes for flights over or near conflict zones, as well as on “Green Airports,” which emphasize the development of low-carbon airports with a special focus on Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).

In May, Kazakhstan became the first among CIS countries to sign an agreement with ICAO and join the ACT-SAF program for the development of sustainable aviation fuels. Kazakhstan will begin producing environmentally friendly aviation fuel. Currently, the project for its production is being developed jointly with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

An important highlight of ICAO Week was the first meeting of the member states of the Eurasian Civil Aviation Conference (EACAC). For the first time in Central Asia, a regional civil aviation organization has been established. In November, aviation authorities from Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Mongolia (observer state), gathered in Almaty to sign the declaration on the establishment of EACAC.

Following the meeting, Talgat Lastayev, Vice Minister of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was appointed Secretary General of EACAC, and Tahir Nazarov, Director General of the Civil Aviation Agency under the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, was appointed its President.

EACAC will serve as a consolidated platform to represent the region’s position in cooperation with global aviation institutions such as ICAO, the European Commission, IATA, and other international organizations.

In 2024, Air Astana was recognized as the best airline in Central Asia, receiving the prestigious Best Overall Airline Award APEX 2025.

In November, Kazaeronavigation RSE received the David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management at the Air Traffic Control Association (ATCA) conference, a key event in the global aviation industry.

Passenger traffic continues to demonstrate steady growth, exceeding 20% annually. The efforts of the Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan have earned the support of leading international organizations and serve as a model for successful aviation reforms in Central Asia and the CIS.

Moving forward, Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities will focus on enhancing and maintaining high levels of flight safety, expanding the route network, and modernizing air transport infrastructure.