BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. On 25 September
2026, a final briefing was held during which experts from the U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented the final oral
findings of the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA)
conducted in Kazakhstan from 21 to 25 September, the Civil Aviation
Committee (CAA) of Kazakhstan said.
The assessment was conducted to determine whether Kazakhstan’s
aviation authorities comply with applicable International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices,
according to the statement.
As part of the assessment, the FAA team reviewed Kazakhstan’s
aviation legislation, subordinate regulatory acts and the
authorities’ ability to effectively exercise safety oversight in
line with ICAO requirements.
On September 24, the FAA experts also conducted an on-site visit
to Air Astana in Astana, which has applied to the US Department of
Transportation (DOT) for economic authority to operate flights to
the United States.
The CAA described the visit as a positive and mutually
beneficial experience for all organizations involved.
“Following the assessment, the U.S. experts noted the
substantial work carried out by Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities.
Speaking about the preliminary findings, they highlighted strong
results in a number of areas, noting that these results demonstrate
Kazakhstan’s strong political will and significant progress in
aviation safety oversight,” the CAA said.
The FAA will next issue an official notification to Kazakhstan’s
aviation authorities, followed by final consultations to discuss
any required corrective measures, according to the CAA.
Upon completion of this process, the FAA will determine
Kazakhstan’s Category 1 status.
Achieving Category 1 status would create the regulatory
conditions required for Kazakhstan’s airlines to complete the
procedures necessary to launch direct air services between
Kazakhstan and the United States.
