Kazakhstan to rely on its own airlines to fly tourists to Turkey this coming summer

The demand for chartered flights from Kazakhstan to Turkey and back throughout the tourist season of 2014 will be met by Kazakhstan-based airlines, the country’s Committee for Civil Aviation within the Transport Ministry announced, Tengrinews reports. According to the committee, chartered flights transported a total of over 230 000 passengers from Kazakhstan to Turkey in 2013. Given that the number of passengers towards Turkey has been growing by 15% a year, the projected figure for 2014 stands at 265 00 passengers. “As of today, Kazakhstan-based SCAT airline has assigned 7 Boeing aircraft capable of transporting a total of 190 000 passengers. Minor airlines such as Euro-Asia Air, Investavia, Bek Air are ready to assign combined 8 aircraft capable of transporting another 74 000 passengers. Ai Astana national carrier plans to transport 28 000 passengers”, the Committee elaborated. Back in June 2013 due to bankruptcy of Turkey-based Sky airline and financial hardships of the Turkish Qualitum tourism, over 1000 Kazakhstanis faced problems returning to their homeland. Kazakhstan relied on its Emergency Ministry to fly its citizens back home. Following the incident, Kazakhstan moved to amend its legislation on use of the air space. In line with the amendments, chartered flights performed by foreign air carriers were banned starting from October 2013.