Tengrinews.kz — The Kazakh airline Vietjet Qazaqstan has temporarily suspended flights between Astana and Omsk. The restrictions will be in effect from July 9 to July 20, 2026.
Reasons for flight cancellations
The company stated that the decision was made due to periodic restrictions on the use of airspace in the Omsk region and the inability to ensure a safe and stable flight schedule.
"Due to periodic restrictions on the use of airspace in the Omsk region and the impossibility of safe and stable schedule execution, Vietjet Qazaqstan is temporarily suspending flights on the Astana – Omsk – Astana route. The safety of passengers and crews is the airline's absolute priority. This decision was made to ensure flight safety and to minimize the risks of long delays and forced schedule changes," the carrier said in a statement.
The airline specified that information regarding subsequent flights will be updated as the situation develops. Passengers of canceled flights are promised individual notifications via the contact details provided during booking.
Options for passengers
Passengers of the canceled flights have been offered two main options.
The first is to use an alternative route via Petropavl. Starting July 14, passengers can fly from Astana to Petropavl and then continue to Omsk by a specially organized bus. A similar scheme will operate in the opposite direction.
The second option is a full refund of the ticket price without any deductions, including all unused segments of the trip booked under a single reservation.
Additionally, the airline will automatically provide each passenger of a canceled flight with a voucher worth 10,000 tenge for future Vietjet Qazaqstan flights. The certificate will be sent to the email address provided during booking. It can be used until December 31, 2026, when purchasing tickets on the carrier's official website, excluding subsidized flights.
How the alternative route will work
According to the published schedule, flight IQ-531 will depart Astana at 08:00 and arrive in Petropavl at 09:20. The bus to Omsk will depart from Petropavl Airport at 10:30 and proceed to Omsk Airport.
In the opposite direction, the bus will depart from Omsk Airport at 00:00. Estimated arrival at Petropavl Airport is scheduled for 08:00, after which passengers can take flight IQ-532 at 09:45 and arrive in Astana at 11:00.
The airline warned that the number of seats on the alternative route is limited. Bookings will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Furthermore, bus departure times may change depending on traffic conditions and border control processing times.
To arrange travel via Petropavl, passengers must contact the Vietjet Qazaqstan contact center or submit a request via email.
For inquiries, passengers can reach the contact center at +7 727 356 14 14. Requests are also accepted via email at info@vietjetqazaqstan.kz
Earlier, Qazaq Air also reported a temporary suspension of some flights to Russia. The carrier announced the cancellation of flights on the Astana – Yekaterinburg route. At that time, the company also cited safety concerns for the decision.
Furthermore, in the spring of 2022, Air Astana suspended flights between Kazakhstan and Russia. The carrier stated then that the reason was the termination of insurance coverage for commercial flights from, to, and over Russian territory.
Updated at 19:02.
Following the publication of the initial report, the Vietjet Qazaqstan press service sent updated information regarding the flight suspension.
While the first release cited "recorded drone activity over Russian territory" as the reason for the cancellations, the wording in the updated version was changed. The airline now states that flights are temporarily suspended "due to periodic restrictions on the use of airspace in the Omsk region and the inability to ensure a safe and stable flight schedule."
Additionally, the updated release omitted information regarding the suspension of ticket sales for the route until the end of August.
The terms for issuing vouchers were also adjusted. The initial version stated that the 10,000 tenge certificate would only be given to passengers choosing the alternative route via Petropavl. In the updated message, the airline clarified that the voucher is automatically provided to every passenger of a canceled flight, regardless of the chosen travel option.
It will be sent to the email address provided during booking. The voucher is valid until December 31, 2026, for ticket purchases on the official Vietjet Qazaqstan website (excluding subsidized flights).
The updated announcement also includes additional clarifications. In particular, the airline warned that the number of seats on the alternative route via Petropavlovsk is limited, bookings will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, and bus transfer departure times may be adjusted based on road conditions and border control procedures.