Ban on foreign charter flights to have no effect on ticket rates in Kazakhstan

The decision to ban foreign companies from making charter flights from Kazakhstan was made with observance of all the necessary procedures and was approved by all the involved authorities, deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation Commission of Kazakhstan Ministry of Transport and Communications Serik Mukhtybayev told Tengrinews.kz. “The amendments to the transport legislation passed all the necessary procedures: approval by the state authorities, discussion in the Majilis (Lower Chamber of the Kazakhstan Parliament) and the Senate. They were then submitted to the President for signing,” he said. Meanwhile, Mukhtybayev stressed, Kazakhstan airlines confirmed their preparedness to meet the market's needs and provide all the required flights. The cost of the charter flights made by Kazakhstan companies is the same at the cost of flights by foreign airlines, Kazakhstan Tourist Association stated. “Take Turkey for example, Kazakhstan airlines perform charter programs to Turkey at similar aircrafts. Air Astana airlines performs flights to Antalya,” Mukhtybayev said. Kazakhstan is banning foreign charter flights from Kazakhstan starting from July 21. According to Mukhtybayev, the regulation had been in the works since last year and passed all the necessary procedures. Considering that many Kazakhstan residents have already bought tickets for charter flights scheduled for the end of July, the issue of transportation will be resolved jointly by the tourist companies, airlines and state authorities to provide the required aircrafts, the Ministry’s representative said. By Nazymgul Kumyspayeva