BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. Kazakhstan's Air
Astana and China's Southern Airlines signed a strategic partnership
agreement on October 30 to strengthen air connectivity between the
two countries, expand travel options and improve convenience for
passengers, Air Astana's press service announced.
The agreement marks the first strategic partnership between
airlines from Kazakhstan and China. It builds on their existing
codeshare cooperation and provides a basis for further
strengthening commercial ties.
Under the agreement, the airlines will coordinate flight
schedules, expand codeshare services and implement joint marketing
initiatives. By bringing their networks and commercial models
closer together, the partnership aims to simplify travel on both
carriers, provide more convenient connections, align passenger
service conditions and rules, and expand access to destinations in
Kazakhstan, China and beyond.
"More than one million passengers have been carried since the
beginning of 2026. The Ministry plans to further expand the route
network with China, increasing the number of destinations to 30,"
Kazakhstan's Deputy Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev
said..
Air Astana Vice President for Partnerships and Alliances Richard
Ledger said that China was a strategically important market for the
airline, while Kazakhstan's geographical position made it a
transport hub connecting Europe and Asia.
He noted that the partnership with China Southern Airlines would
help strengthen commercial ties, combine the airlines'
complementary route networks and provide passengers with more
travel options, convenient connections and more consistent service
conditions across both carriers.
"China and Kazakhstan are important partners under the Belt and
Road Initiative. This strategic cooperation is a significant result
of the development of air connectivity between the two countries
and reflects our shared commitment to building a prosperous
regional market. For both airlines, this is a strategic choice that
allows us to leverage each other's strengths and jointly utilize
our resources. For passengers, the most tangible benefit will be
greater travel convenience, more flight options, simpler transfer
procedures and a more comfortable journey," said Zeng Yongchao,
Executive Vice President of China Southern Airlines.
Air Astana operates flights from Astana and Almaty to Urumqi,
Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai, offering up to 36 scheduled
round-trip flights per week during the peak season. China Southern
Airlines operates flights from Urumqi, Beijing, Guangzhou and Xi'an
to Almaty and Astana, offering up to 29 scheduled round-trip
flights per week during the peak season.
The strategic partnership is expected to support business,
tourism, educational and family travel between Kazakhstan and
China, as well as strengthen transit opportunities for passengers
travelling through the two countries to other destinations across
the airlines' networks.
