Air Astana Expands Fleet to 50 Aircraft With New A321neo

Today, the Air Astana Group has expanded its fleet to 50 aircraft with the recent arrival of an Airbus A321neo from the assembly line in Hamburg, Germany.

The latest A321neo cabin combines both the existing business class and a new economy class called Airspace Cabin. This new economy class offers more seats, larger overhead lockers, and a moonlight cabin lighting system that was previously exclusive to the airline’s long-haul aircraft.

Air Astana‘s commitment to maintaining industry leadership is evident in its plan to increase its fleet size to 80 aircraft by the close of 2028, showcasing the company’s strategic approach to expansion.

Air Astana, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan, serves as the flag carrier and airline of Kazakhstan. The airline group manages operations for both international and domestic flights, covering a network of 64 routes. These routes are facilitated through its two main hubs, Almaty International Airport and Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport.

Air Astana is a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna (51%), and BAE Systems PLC (49%).

The airline was incorporated in October 2001 and started commercial flights on 15 May 2002. It is one of a small number of airlines that has required neither government subsidy nor shareholder financial support to overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, thus preserving its central corporate principle of financial, managerial, and operational independence.

The Airbus A321neo is an Airbus aircraft that falls into the single-aisle airliner category. It belongs to the Airbus A320neo family and is an enhanced version of the Airbus A321. With its elongated fuselage, it holds the distinction of being the longest among the A320 series. Initially introduced by Lufthansa in 1994, the A321ceo served as the original variant of the A321.

The Airbus A321neo typically seats 180 to 220 passengers in a two-class configuration, with up to 244 passengers in a high-density arrangement.

Airbus unveiled the A321neo in December 2010 as an enhanced and upgraded version of the A321ceo. Equipped with advanced engines and standard sharklets, the A321neo boasts the greatest fuselage length among all narrow-body commercial aircraft manufactured by Airbus.