Kazakhstan expects 14 new airline routes due to ‘Open Skies’

Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – Airlines are expected to launch 14 new routes in 2020 due to the introduction of an ‘open skies’ regime over Kazakhstan, Akorda said on 5 February, following a meeting of Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar.
“This year, it is expected that 14 new routes will be launched by well-known airlines from Qatar, Poland, Oman, Belarus, Malaysia, Romania, the UAE, Kuwait. Negotiations are underway with the aviation authorities of Switzerland, South Korea, Singapore, Latvia, Lithuania,” Sklyar said.
He also noted that 12 new air routes were opened in 2019, including from Nur- Sultan to Prague, Ulan Bator, Tokyo.
Tokayev has instructed to continue active work to expand Kazakhstan’s air links with interested states.
The US and Kazakh governments signed an Open Skies Agreement Open on January 6, which allows airlines to make commercial decisions based on market demand without intervention from government regulators.  Air carriers can provide more affordable, convenient, and efficient air services to consumers and shippers, thereby promoting travel and trade.
The Agreement establishes a modern civil aviation relationship between the US and Kazakhstan, which is consistent with American international aviation policy.  It includes unrestricted capacity and frequency of services, open route rights, a liberal charter regime, and open code-sharing opportunities.