BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 20. China Eastern
Airlines plans to launch direct passenger flights between Astana
and Shanghai in autumn 2026, expanding air connectivity between
Kazakhstan and China.
This is reflected in the statement published by Civil Aviation
Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport.
The agreement was discussed during a working visit to China by
Chairwoman of the Civil Aviation Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry
of Transport Saltanat Tompieva, who held talks with China Eastern
Airlines Senior Vice President for Marketing and Sales Jin
Chenhua.
During the meeting, representatives of the Chinese airline
confirmed plans to begin operating flights on the new route after
completion of the necessary regulatory procedures and technical
approvals.
"The main topic of the talks was the launch of direct flights
between Astana and Shanghai. Airline representatives confirmed
strong commercial interest in this route and announced their
readiness to begin operations this fall, following the completion
of the necessary preparatory measures. Initially, flights will
operate three times a week, with the frequency subsequently
increasing to daily," the statement says.
The service is expected to initially operate three times a week,
with the possibility of increasing flight frequency to daily
operations in the future depending on demand.
The sides also discussed prospects for further cooperation in
civil aviation, including expanding flight frequencies to other
destinations in Kazakhstan and developing cooperation between China
Eastern Airlines and Kazakh carriers. The new route will connect
Kazakhstan’s capital with Shanghai, one of China’s major economic
and transport centers, and is expected to contribute to the
development of passenger traffic between the two countries.
China Eastern Airlines is one of China’s largest state-owned
airlines and operates international and domestic services from its
main hubs at Shanghai Pudong and Hongqiao airports.
Earlier, Kazakhstan and China reached an agreement to expand air
connectivity by increasing flight frequencies from 124 to 152 per
week.
The agreement was signed during the bilateral talks between the
Civil Aviation Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan
and the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) in
Beijing.
According to the new agreement, the maximum allowable number of
regular passenger flights for airlines from both nations will rise
from 124 to 152 per week. Additionally, the list of major Chinese
destinations cleared for flights to and from Kazakhstan has been
expanded to 11 cities. Notably, the expansion now includes
Chongqing, one of China’s premier industrial and
transport-logistics hubs.
