The European Union (EU) and the government of Kazakhstan have signed a landmark agreement that will open routes to Kazakhstan to all airlines for the first time.
Access to Kazakhstan from EU member states has been restricted to national carriers for decades. 20 years in the making, the Horizontal Aviation Agreement will allow any eligible EU airline to fly between Kazakhstan and the 17 bloc countries.
This should open the door to low-cost carriers (LCCs) and other competitors, making the travel corridor more dynamic while stimulating connectivity.
The agreement was made in Brussels during the visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and signed by European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Nurlan Sauranbayev.
Tzitzikostas commented:
This milestone reflects our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation, enhancing connectivity between our regions, and bringing our people and economies closer together. By opening new opportunities for air services, the agreement will support growth, investment, and exchanges on both sides.
Analysts often cite Central Asia as the world’s next big aviation market. Its strategic location between Europe and Asia as well as a burgeoning tourism industry make it ripe for further development. Earlier this year industry body IATA announced they were opening a new regional office in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, pointing to the region’s rising passenger numbers and expanding infrastructure.
In partnership with ICAO, Kazakhstan has developed a master plan for aviation development up to 2050. The country is preparing an audit from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to launch direct flights to the US for the first time, while millions of funding is pouring into airports to make bring them in line with international standards.
In the 2024 edition of the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index, Kazakhstan climbed to 52nd in the world rankings ahead of South Africa, Mauritius, and Vietnam. While international tourism has so far been dominated by visitors from Russia, China, and neighbouring Kyrgyzstan, the new agreement with the EU will no doubt bring many Europeans to explore the famous Kazakh steppe and mountains.
Join us at Aviation Festival Asia 2027 in Bangkok to discuss the development of Central Asian aviation.
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