Why hasn't FlyArystan been separated from Air Astana yet?

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan has been working on breaking up monopolies in the airline industry, yet FlyArystan remains under Air Astana’s control despite ongoing discussions over the past two years. Rustam Akhmetov, First Deputy Chairman of the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition (APDC), commented on the situation.

Speaking at a parliamentary committee meeting, Akhmetov noted that Air Astana holds over 55% of the market share, limiting price competition and incentives to improve services.

"The key solution is to demonopolize commodity markets," he said, emphasizing the need to attract new players.

One such step is the sale of Qazaq Air assets to a Qatari investor, who has committed to investing and expanding the fleet, potentially increasing competition.

Regarding FlyArystan, APDC had proposed separating it from Air Astana, but the government chose to wait and assess the impact of new market entrants before making a final decision.

"We suggested considering its separation. However, for now, the authorities have decided to wait and monitor how the new player affects the market. If we don’t see improvements in price competition, we will propose additional measures," Akhmetov added.

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