Kazakhstan's Air Astana completes Irish fleet registration

Kazakhstan’s Air Astana targets 2024 IPO

Air Astana (KC, Nur-Sultan Nazarbayev) will undertake an initial public offering (IPO) next year ahead of its expected acquisition of more Airbus and Boeing aircraft in 2025, its chief executive Peter Foster told Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a briefing on the company’s plans for 2023-2027.

The national carrier “plans to supplement its fleet with new-generation aircraft such as the A320 and B787 Dreamliner. These planes will be delivered in 2025,” the president’s official Akorda news site reported.

Tokayev “positively assessed the company’s activities and supported its development strategy to expand its fleet and flight network. Also during the meeting, the airline price policy was discussed, aimed at increasing the number of passengers.” Last month, the Kazakh competition regulator launched proceedings against the airline due to alleged violations in the formation of ticket prices.

Kazakh sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna currently owns 51% of Air Astana while the UK’s BAe Systems (Warton) holds the remainder. As part of an acceleration of economic reforms since widespread anti-government riots a year...

Canada's Porter Airlines closes five E195-E2 s/lbs

Porter Airlines (PD, Toronto City Centre) has entered into sale/lease-back transactions with Azorra Aviation covering the first five of its 50 firm-ordered E195-E2s.

The deal follows the delivery of the first two units shortly before Christmas. The handover of a third is expected by year-end. However, so far, none of the Embraer regional jets has been ferried from Sao Jose dos Campos to Canada.

Porter Airlines is the type's North American launch customer and their induction signals its shift into the regional jet market. The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows it currently operates twenty-nine DHC-8-Q400s, of which 24 are owned by the airline and the remaining five are leased from Aergo Capital.

For its part, Azorra Aviation specialises in regional aircraft, but has thus far not owned any E195-E2s. The ch-aviation fleets ownership module shows that the lessor's portfolio includes a single E190-E2 leased to Air Astana (KC, Nur-Sultan Nazarbayev), as well as thirty-two E-Jet E1s in all variants (E170...

Kazakh antitrust body to probe Air Astana - again

Dominican Republic's Sky High launches scheduled US ops

Sky High Aviation Services (DO, Santo Domingo Las Américas) has launched its first scheduled route to the United States, connecting Santo Domingo Las Américas with Miami International as of December 13.

The Dominican Republic carrier plans to operate the route 6x weekly using its E190 aircraft. The ch-aviation fleets advanced module shows that it operates two units of the type, both ex-Air Astana units owned by TrueNoord and registered on Aruba's 'P4-' register. With 8,024 scheduled weekly one-way seats, the Santo Domingo-Miami route is the third-busiest service connecting the Dominican Republic and the US, after flights from New York JFK to each of Santo Domingo and Santiago de los Caballeros.

The airline also plans to launch its second US route, to Providence. According to its internet booking engine, it will serve the Rhode Island city 2x weekly, although tickets are not currently bookable. When it launches the flights, it will become the only airline operating direct services between Providence and the Dominican Republic. However, it...