Air Astana (KC, Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev) has signed a Letter of Intent for thirty B737-8s for placement with its low-cost carrier division FlyArystan (KC, Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev), Boeing said in a press release issued during the ongoing 2019 Dubai Airshow.
The aircraft are tentatively scheduled to start delivering in late 2021, although this timeline is subject to the ungrounding of the B737 MAX. Chief Planning Officer Alma Aliguzhinova told Flightglobal that Air Astana intends to own half of the 30 jets and lease the rest.
The deal is subject to regulatory approvals and confirmation.
"Since its launch in May this year, FlyArystan has exceeded all expectations and it is clear that low-cost air travel has a great future in Kazakhstan and Central Asia," Air Astana President and Chief Executive Peter Foster said.
FlyArystan currently operates three A320-200s sourced from its parent. It operates to seven domestic destinations in Kazakhstan and will launch its first international service, to Zhukovsky, in December 2019.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Air Astana itself also operates Airbus narrowbodies exclusively, namely eight A320-200s, three A320-200neo, three A321-200s, four A321-200neo, and one A321neo(LR). It also operates four B757-200s, three B767-300(ER)s, seven E190ARs, and five E190-E2s. It also has three B787-8s on firm order from Boeing.
