The ability to quickly move both within the country and to other powers is an essential factor in economic well-being. We can safely say that full development without air travel is impossible. Kazakhstan Airlines have been providing development of key sectors of the economy since the republic gained independence. The constant increase in the number of private air carriers has a positive effect on the tourism sector.
Echo of the Soviet Union
The collapse of the Soviet Union was a real shock to all the republics. He especially touched those who wished independence. Air transportation was among the areas that suffered the greatest losses. In the USSR there was only one air carrier - Aeroflot. Part of the state company’s air fleet was transferred to the republics in which successor organizations arose. The main airline of Kazakhstan is Air Kazakhstan.
It was a tough time. The airline suffered losses after losses and was in no hurry to update the fleet. The fleet was based on Soviet passenger liners, because there was no money to upgrade the fleet. This was largely due to the fact that the country was not considered attractive in terms of tourism. However, a much more serious problem was the actual impoverishment of the population. Afford an air flight could few.
These and other problems led to the bankruptcy of the successor company. The ongoing measures to subsidize and renew the fleet through a merger with other carriers could not save the situation. In 2004, the main airline of Kazakhstan was bankrupt. Thus ended the history of the Kazakh branch of Aeroflot.
Largest airline
A few years before the final decline of Air Kazakhstan, a young company, Air Astana, suddenly appears. Initially, it was not competitive, but competent management allowed it to break into the leadership in the Kazakhstani air transportation market.
From the very beginning, the company's management clearly understood the complexity of the situation. Huge funds were invested in attracting foreign specialists. Preference in airplanes was not given in favor of airliners made in the USSR. The first three Boeing 757 aircraft were leased from the Americans. At the end of 2003, company management announced net annual profit. The calculation turned out to be correct, the company did not make unprofitable flights. It so happened that people more trusted foreign-made aircraft and appreciated the service on board. So the Kazakh airline Air Astana left far behind the previous national carrier and took its place. Since then, and to this day, the company has been in net profit and is constantly expanding its fleet. Aircraft often undergo modernization, and obsolete airliners are replaced by more modern ones.
Today, the company's fleet consists of 40 foreign-made aircraft. Unfortunately, these are not new aircraft. Due to the extreme high cost of such equipment, it is more profitable to buy aircraft from foreign leaders. However, the average age of all aircraft does not exceed 10 years, which is a very good indicator worldwide.
New Hope
In 2014, the President of Kazakhstan signed a decree on the need to return Air Kazakhstan to the market. This time, the management decided not to claim the role of a national carrier. The tasks set were much more modest: expanding the domestic air transport network and increasing the availability of domestic flights. Despite the fact that the carrier copes with the tasks, one should not expect competition with the largest companies.
Scat
An interesting and unusual player on the market is the Kazakh airline Skat. This carrier is one of the largest. Initially, the company was founded by only 2 pilots. And the entire fleet at the initial stage consisted of only one Soviet-made aircraft. Today, the aircraft fleet consists of 65 aircraft. Mostly these are Soviet aircraft, but there are also ships of foreign manufacturers. The unusual thing is that the "Skat" carries out not only passenger flights, but also performs various agricultural tasks. One of the subsidiaries is image-building and is equipped exclusively with Soviet aircraft. Another subsidiary only operates charter flights. Such an internal organization is quite unusual.
Unfortunately, only a national carrier can fly to Europe. However, Skat regularly flies to Turkey, China, Russia, Thailand and the UAE.
Russian carriers
The list of Kazakhstan airlines is regularly updated with subsidiaries of Russian carriers. Basically, in the country there are representative offices of large Russian organizations. Due to the difficult economic situation and a series of bankruptcies, there is a large rotation in this list.
"Victory"
Russian carriers have a significant impact on the development of air services in Kazakhstan. Pobeda Airlines is a leader in this segment. Even in Russia, it is considered cheap and affordable. In winter, the cost of tickets may not exceed 1000 rubles. It’s nice to fly the planes of this company. This is not surprising, because a subsidiary of the Russian Aeroflot operates mainly foreign aircraft, and the average age often does not exceed 7 years. These are practically new aircraft. However, to reduce the cost of the flight, I had to significantly increase the number of seats, which may not be all I like. The more seats, the less free space. This means that in economy class it is inconvenient to make long flights.
The best of the best
Air transportation is a profitable business. The competition is huge, and the choice should be made in favor of the best airlines in Kazakhstan. The list of companies includes:
- Air Astana.
- "Scat."
- Euro-Asia Air.
- Burundaiavia.
Each of these carriers guarantees passengers minimum delays, quality service and maximum flight safety.