Dense fog in Aktau disrupted airport operations and caused delays of several flights. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.
According to the Telegram channel HALYQSTAN, some passengers waited more than 11 hours for departure. FlyArystan airline reported that the disruptions were due to adverse weather conditions: heavy fog reduced visibility in the airport area below the established landing minimum, so aircraft could not safely perform landings and takeoffs.
Other flights were also delayed due to the fog. An aircraft flying on the Almaty–Aktau route could not land at its destination and diverted to an alternate airport in Atyrau.
Passengers said they had to wait almost 10 hours for a flight to Aktau. The airline explained that the delay of one flight caused changes in the schedule of subsequent flights, as aircraft perform up to eight flights per day, and the interval between landing and the next departure is 30-45 minutes.
At the same time, passengers complained that they were not provided with a hotel during the hours-long wait. FlyArystan responded that the delays were caused by weather conditions beyond the carrier's control, so hotel accommodation is not provided in such cases.
Meanwhile, Aktau residents are posting footage of the unusual fog captured by drones on social media. The video shows the city and the Caspian coast covered by a dense white veil, causing the familiar urban landscape to almost completely disappear under the fog cloud.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received Air Astana Group CEO Ibrahim Zhanlyel and pointed to regular criticism of the airline due to flight delays and sudden aircraft substitutions.