Air Astana

AIR ASTANA

Air Astana is a new airline in Kazakhstan which started operating in Spring 2002, a joint venture between the Kazakhstan government and BAe Systems. It is named after the capital of the country, Astana.

Air Astana was set up to be a high quality airline operating to western standards. Their fleet consists of three, brand new Boeing 737 jets and most of the senior management is British or European, formerly ...
...from the former national carrier, Air Kazakstan, and currently fly from Almaty to Moscow, Dubai and Beijing. This winter they plan to start flights to Western Kazakhstan’s oil cities and from there on to Europe, as well as to Bangkok and Germany.

I’ve flown with them seven or eight times in the past nine months, between Almaty and Moscow and Dubai, most recently in May 2003.


CHECK IN AT ALMATY
The airport ... more

AIR ASTANA

Air Astana is a new airline in Kazakhstan which started operating in Spring 2002, a joint venture between the Kazakhstan government and BAe Systems. It is named after the capital of the country, Astana.

Air Astana was set up to be a high quality airline operating to western standards. Their fleet consists of three, brand new Boeing 737 jets and most of the senior management is British or European, formerly with leading western airlines.

The airline mainly operates from Almaty, the largest city and commercial centre which was the capital until a few years ago when it was moved to Astana. They fly between Almaty and Astana of course and also from Almaty to two other domestic routes, Aktau and Aktobe. They have been taking over international routes from the former national carrier, Air Kazakstan, and currently fly from Almaty to Moscow, Dubai and Beijing. This winter they plan to start flights to Western Kazakhstan’s oil cities and from there on to Europe, as well as to Bangkok and Germany.

I’ve flown with them seven or eight times in the past nine months, between Almaty and Moscow and Dubai, most recently in May 2003.

CHECK IN AT ALMATY
The airport terminal was destroyed by a fire about five years ago. A great-looking new terminal is being built, and has been nearing completion for over a year, but the “opening” date remains as elusive as ever. For the past five years flights have been operating out of a hastily converted, old domestic terminal which has a central room serving as a departure hall and two tiny check in areas, one on each side.

Almaty airport is one of the most tedious and bureaucratic anywhere that I have been. It makes Moscow Sheremetyevo look easy. From arriving at the terminal to boarding the plane your tickets are checked three times, passport four times and boarding card four times. Of course this is not the fault of the airline, and customers of all airlines have to put up with the same irrelevant and pointless checks.

There is one handling agent dealing with all airlines, so you get the same brisk, gruff or grumpy people whoever you fly with. At least Air Astana have a cheerful and bright supervisor watching over them so if things don’t work the way you want there is some recourse.

BOARDING
When the flight is called, it’s the cue to go through another security check and stamp on boarding card into a playpen sized holding area. When the flight is called you exit out the back door, via another security agent who checks that your boarding card bears all the required stamps. Then onto the bus to the plane.

The bus is new but the tarmac is not, so you bump and sway your way out to the plane. However they pack the bus to overflowing so you couldn’t fall over if you tried. At the aircraft steps there is, guess what, another person who checks that your boarding card has both stamps before he hands it to the gate agent who sends you up the steps. Boarding is quite quick but there is no priority boarding for Business Class passengers, pregnant mums, families with kids, there is just a crowd packed around the bottom of the steps.

Once you’re on, though, you can relax!

AIRCRAFT
The Air Astana aircraft are all brand new Boeing 737s; the colour scheme is mainly white, and they are kept clean. The interior is light, bright, also clean and appears in good condition. Overall you immediately get the impression that this airline looks after the outside and the inside of the aircraft, which makes it very likely that they look after the important parts of the aircraft as well, such as the engines! Which is more than can be said for many of the tatty, dirty aircraft flown by other airlines in the CIS!

SEAT AND DEPARTURE
The cabin crew at the door direct you to your seats. The configuration is standard for a Boeing 737, two seats either side of the aisle in Business class and three either side in economy.

The seats in Business are grey leather, quite wide and spacious, reasonably comfortable but not especially so. The back and the seat are fairly square, flat, firm. There is a wide armrest between the two with a plastic square space for drinks as well as another small tray that slides out, for if it gets crowded. Before departure there was a choice of orange juice, water or local champagne.

Again unlike many airlines in the CIS, Air Astana actually do a safety demonstration of oxygen masks and life vests. They also make sure that bags are stowed properly – none in front of the emergency exits! – and checked everyone had their seat back upright and seatbelts fastened. Another real indication that they take safety seriously.

As of May this year they hadn’t started doing hot towels yet but, as the plane taxis out, usually on time, they offer towelettes, or “refreshing wipes”, in sachets. On night flights they dim the lights before takeoff.

The announcements are all made in Kazakh, Russian and English, which means they do tend to go on rather! They keep the content quite short thankfully. Some of the people can have quite strong accents which occasionally makes it a little hard to follow.

SERVICE
The crew remain seated until the seatbelt signs are turned off, once the plane reaches cruising altitude; at night, the lights remain off until then too. So service is a bit slow to start and , if you have fallen asleep, you get woken up when the lights suddenly flicker on!

On all of the flights that I have been on, all around five hours, the service has taken the same format. First there is a round of drinks accompanied by a minibag of peanuts, then another round of drinks with peanuts on request. After that they serve the meal, followed by a round of extra bread. Once most people have eaten they offer tea or coffee, then clear away the trays and then leave you alone till descent.

As most of my flights have been at night, the format works quite well as people can get two or three hours’ sleep. If you do want any more, just go to the galley and ask; the reception might not be the warmest but if you smile and joke as you ask for another vodka, they are pleasant enough!

There is no inflight entertainment of any kind; the seats in Business class do appear to have somewhere to plug in headphones but there is no music or film. Recently an inflight magazine has appeared but it is fairly bland, with a couple of articles that would not keep you entertained for long. As most of the flights are 3 to 5 hours this does mean that boredom can set in half way through, particularly as once the meal has been cleared away the crew do disappear; they wander up and down periodically but there is no further drinks service.

There is also no duty free service, though once I did find some brochures in the seat pocket.

The crew are generally polite and pleasant without being overly warm or cheerful. Some are clearly not confident with their english and one or two look positively petrified when spoken to in English, but even then they make an effort. Overall though the service is fine. More efficient, competent and refined than many other CIS airlines and in general they do try.

FOOD
The meals have generally been quite good. Salad, cold starter of cold meat, salad, cheese etc; a choice of three main courses, typically chicken, beef or fish. These come with potato or rice and vegetables. Lastly there is a dessert, normally a slice of cheesecake or some other pastry. Sometimes the whole meal is served at once, on most flights though they bring the hot main course around later so you have had a chance to scoff the starter. The food has always been reasonably tasty, not gourmet but quite pleasant, enough to keep you from being hungry.

ARRIVAL
As soon as the plane started to descend the lights are back up and seatbelt signs on. The crew do another walk around to make sure luggage is stowed again, seat belts on etc, which again is uncommon among airlines in the CIS. Finally lights are dimmed again before landing.

SUMMARY
Air Astana are billed as a quality, western-run airline offering western standards and the people seem proud to work for them. I have heard some complaints from others; maybe they had higher expectations or are comparing Air Astana with European airlines instead of other airlines in the CIS. Sure they are a new airline trying to offer a full service and there are some things they can’t do yet, or haven’t sorted out properly, but overall it works well.

More info: www.air-astana.kz
 

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