A new Airbus A321neo aircraft has arrived in Almaty and is planned to enter service on the Almaty–Astana–Almaty route in early November. The aircraft became the 64th in the Air Astana Group fleet, the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport reported. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
The aircraft with tail number EI-KDL was delivered directly from the Airbus plant in Hamburg. The new aircraft will allow more passengers to be carried on one of the country's most in-demand domestic routes.
"The first flight of the aircraft is scheduled for early November of this year on the Almaty – Astana – Almaty route," the department's statement said.
In the future, the aircraft will be used to develop the route network. According to the Ministry of Transport, the Airbus A321neo is distinguished by high fuel efficiency, increased passenger comfort and reduced environmental impact.
Earlier, Air Astana announced plans to increase the group's fleet to 86 aircraft by 2030. At the end of 2025, it numbered 62 aircraft.
In June 2026, the company signed an agreement for the supply of up to 50 Airbus aircraft: a firm order for 25 aircraft and an option for the same number. Deliveries will begin in 2031. The value of the agreement is estimated at 8.3 billion euros.