Feature: Criss-Crossing Central Asia

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04 May 2011

Kazakhstan's Air Astana has turned a profit every year since it began operations in 2002. Patrick Winters finds out how this unconventional airline has tailored its strategy to fit the world's ninth-largest country.

Air Astana began operations in May 2002 with a flight from Almaty to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Two years later it was promoted to flag carrier. Now the airline, headed by Peter Foster, is hoping to position itself as the market leader among CIS countries.

Foster began his career as a management trainee at John Swire and Sons, the owners of Cathay Pacific Airways, serving in management and senior management positions with the Hong Kong-based airline for 17 years until 1999. Foster’s experience at Cathay Pacific and later as chief executive officer of Royal Brunei Airlines prepared him for Air Astana, which he has led since 2005.

But Air Astana is not how you might picture a recently established airline, given the prevalence and success of the low-cost model. It has a mixed fleet of Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Fokker aircraft. It leases pre-1998-vintage 757s and 767-300ERs. Kazakhstan...

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