Air Astana, the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, has bolstered its presence in the Middle East with the recent inauguration of direct daily flights to Almaty International Airport in Kazakhstan from Dubai International Airport, UAE.

The route is served by Airbus A320 aircraft in a two-class layout, with 16 business class and 132 economy class seats.

The newly announced Kazakhstan visa waiver programme allows visitors from 10 countries, including UAE nationals, to easily enter Kazakhstan without any prior notification. The arrangement makes it easier for business and leisure travellers to fly with the airline, which also offers an online visa application facility for Kazakhstan tourists, the airlines said.

“This is the right time to recommence our services to Almaty as the Middle East economy is much stronger. Dubai International is now the second biggest airport in the world in terms of passenger numbers. There is a strong appetite for travel to new destinations.  Importantly, with our new visa waiver programme in place now for UAE travellers, we anticipate that Almaty will become an increasingly popular destination,” said Peter Foster, president and CEO of Air Astana. – TradeArabia News Service