On September 3, an elderly passenger on FlyArystan flight FS7177 from Almaty to Aktau was removed from the aircraft after making a joke about a bomb during boarding. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

The incident was recounted by blogger Aigerim Suleimenova, who published a video. According to her, the elderly passenger was helping a flight attendant place a heavy bag in the overhead compartment and asked: "Is there lead or a bomb in this bag?"

Following this, transport police and aviation security officers conducted a check.

"On September 3 of this year, employees of the Transport Police Department at Almaty International Airport, based on an act by FlyArystan, removed a passenger from the flight Almaty-Aktau after a joking remark in Kazakh: 'is there lead or a bomb in this bag.' Transport police together with aviation security officers promptly conducted a check," the Transport Police Department reported.

No prohibited items or explosives were found. No evacuation was carried out, and the airport continued operating normally.

"The offender has been held accountable for petty hooliganism. The material will be sent to court for a decision," police added.

FlyArystan stated that measures prescribed by aviation security were taken with the passenger.

"On September 3, 2026, on flight FS7177 operating the Almaty-Aktau route, in accordance with established aviation security procedures, appropriate measures were carried out with the involvement of relevant authorities and services in connection with the passenger's statement. The safety of passengers and crew is an absolute priority for FlyArystan. Any statements or actions that could be perceived as a potential security threat require mandatory response regardless of the passenger's intentions. This also applies to careless statements or jokes on board an aircraft," the airline reported.

FlyArystan also noted that, depending on circumstances, such cases may require additional checks and disembarkation of passengers from the aircraft. This, in turn, can lead to flight delays and schedule disruptions.

"We urge passengers to comply with aviation safety requirements and to be responsible for their words and actions throughout their journey. We remind that the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan provides for liability for knowingly false reports of security threats," FlyArystan stated.

According to data published on social media, the passenger was of retirement age. After the incident, the flight departed with a delay of approximately two hours.

The transport police also urged citizens to take such statements seriously and to refrain from jokes related to potential security threats, as they may entail liability and create consequences both for the passenger and for those around them.

Earlier, Kursiv reported that a local fire occurred at Almaty International Airport during scheduled technical work on a FlyArystan aircraft. There were no passengers or crew members on board at the time.

The fire was quickly extinguished by the airport's emergency services. One employee of the Air Astana Group sustained injuries, received medical assistance, and was released from the hospital.

The aircraft was temporarily taken out of service. The Air Astana Group and the airport administration launched an internal investigation, and specialists are also assessing the damage and the scope of necessary repair work.