Flag Carrier Air Astana Orders up to 15 Dreamliners

‍ASTANA — Kazakh flag carrier Air Astana (KC) has announced a firm order for 5 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, with five options and five additional purchase rights.

The airline will also be welcoming 3 of the type under a lease agreement with Air Lease Corporation, beginning in Q1 next year at the earliest. The new aircraft will allow them to launch flights from their home in Almaty (ALA) to Japan and the United States.

General Electric GEnx-1B turbofan engines will power the new Dreamliners, which will seat 303 passengers in a configuration reportedly similar to their current Boeing 767 cabins, which feature two classes and lie-flat seats in Business Class.

"Air Astana is strategically committed to boosting its service capabilities from Central Asia / Caucasus to Asia, Europe, and the rest of the world over the next decade, with the arrival of the first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner next year marking the start of this exciting phase of development," stated Air Astana CEO, Peter Foster. "With its customer-friendly cabin, fuel efficiency and range flexibility, the fleet of up to 18 Boeing 787-9 aircraft is destined to become an outstanding success with the airline and its discerning passengers."

In the same release, vice president of Boeing Commercial Sales for Eurasia and India, Paul Righi said "Boeing airplanes have been integral to Air Astana's operations from the beginning and we're proud the 787 Dreamliner will support Central Asia's growing importance in aviation," continuing; "Air Astana's decision to expand its fleet with the 787-9 aligns with its vision to boost operational capabilities and efficiency while elevating its service offerings."

No delivery timeline has been announced for this new order yet.

Boeing 787 Delays

Air Astana has been subject to some late flights out of Charleston, feeling the effects over the past couple of years. 

The original order of three Boeing 787-9 jets was slated for delivery in the first half of 2025, yet now, in November, one still hasn’t rolled off the line in South Carolina. The first aircraft is now expected in Q1 next year, a year behind schedule, give or take.

The delay forced the launch of the Japan and United States service; however, flights to Tokyo are getting underway sooner. The airline began scheduling its Airbus A321LR from Almaty, in the eastern part of Kazakhstan, to Tokyo Narita (NRT) in March. 

Air Astana’s A321LRs are fitted with an extra fuel tank designed in partnership with Airbus, allowing them to fly nearly 10 hours nonstop. They currently serve London Heathrow (LHR) from Almaty with the type 3 times a week, a flight that’s blocked at a whopping 9 hours and 35 minutes.

The Rest of the Fleet

Air Astana currently operates 3 Boeing 767-300ERs, including the last passenger 767 ever built, delivered from 2013 to 2014. They plan to sell the type in late 2028, moving its pilots over to the new 787.

On the narrowbody side, the airline operates an all-Airbus A320 family fleet comprising 11 A320neos, 3 A321s, 6 A321neos, and 11 A321LRs. Its only outstanding orders are for the Boeing 787, totaling 34 aircraft and eight firm orders.

Until last year, they operated 5 Embraer E190-E2s; however, they were withdrawn and returned to the lessor, Azorra, due to technical issues so severe that they took the Brazilian plane maker to court in a now-settled case. All five were parked, including one with a special snow leopard painted nose, but two did find new homes at Royal Jordanian (RJ) and Azul (AD).