AIR ASTANA CELEBRATES 16th YEAR WITH OPENING OF NEW AVIATION TECHNICAL CENTRE IN ASTANA

Friday 25th May 2018

Largest aircraft repair centre in Central Asia offers services to national and international carriers across the region.

Air Astana, the award-winning Kazakh flag carrier, marked its 16th anniversary with the opening of a new Aviation Technical Centre at Astana's Nursultan Nazarbayev international airport today. The new Aviation Technical Centre enables Air Astana to undertake all aircraft engineering and servicing requirements up to heavy maintenance level. The project was financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development at a cost of US$ 19 million.

The Aviation Technical Centre's energy efficient, single span hangar offers 5,556 square meters of floor space and can accommodate widebody types like the Boeing 787 or Boeing 767, alongside a single aisle aircraft like the latest Airbus A320neo family simultaneously.

The Canadian designed structure is built to a very high specification and designed to remain fully operational even under the extremely low temperatures experienced in Astana during winter months. In addition to the hangar, the Aviation Technical Centre incorporates a spare parts warehouse and a complete range of workshops for the repair and overhaul of aircraft components. An auxiliary building provides space for the existing Air Astana Engineering and Centre to significantly expand training of engineering and maintenance staff to international standards.

"With Astana, the futuristic capital of Kazakhstan, and Air Astana, the national flag carrier, respectively,  celebrating 20th and 16th anniversaries in 2018, the opening of this new Aviation Technical Centre represents a shared cause for celebration," said Peter Foster, President and CEO of Air Astana. "For Astana, the added aerospace infrastructure contributes to the city's standing as the leading air hub in Central Asia, whilst for Air Astana , it represents another significant step in expanding the carrier's capabilities and boosting its international reputation for excellence."

About Air Astana

Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan, operates flights to over 60 domestic and international routes from hubs in Astana and Almaty. The company was incorporated in late 2001 and commenced operations on 15 May 2002. The Air Astana fleet consists of Boeing 767, 757, Airbus A319, A320, A320neo, A321, A321neo and Embraer 190 aircraft. Air Astana became the first carrier from Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Eastern Europe to be awarded a prestigious 4-Star rating by Skytrax at its World Airline Awards 2012 and was also named 'The Best Airline in Central Asia and India' that year. Both achievements were repeated in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. TripAdvisor named Air Astana as a Winner in the Regional Airlines - Asia category in the 2018 Travellers' Choice Awards, which identifies travellers' favourite carriers around the globe.