Lease agreement for seven Airbus A321neo LR aircraft
Air Astana Group, the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus by revenue and fleet size, announces that on 26 July 2024, it signed an agreement with Air Lease Corporation for the operating lease of seven Airbus A321neo LR aircraft following the Board approval of this major transaction on 25 July 2024. Deliveries will take place starting from 2026. The agreement supports the Group’s plans to expand the fleet to 80 aircraft by the end of 2028.
History
Established in late 2001, Air Astana conducted its maiden flight on the 15th of May 2002, with the inaugural attended by President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Sir Richard Evans representing the two shareholders – the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and BAE Systems PLC of the UK. These shareholders remain committed partners, with the Government holding a 51 percent share through its Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund, and BAE Systems PLC holding 49 percent.
Air Astana holds the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Part 145 approval, ensuring its fleet maintenance adheres to EASA requirements. In March 2019, Air Astana renewed its EASA Third Country Operators (TCO) certification audit with zero findings and is certified as an EASA Part 147 Training Organization. Demonstrating its commitment to safety, the airline successfully completed the International Air Transport Association’s Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) for the 8th time in May 2021.
