Air Astana eyes China routes after record passenger traffic

Kazakh flag carrier Air Astana has reported half-year record passenger numbers, driven by unexpectedly high demand for its Chinese routes. Some 4m passengers flew with the London-listed airline in the six months ended 30 June, up 14.6% year-on-year and at a load factor of 82%. The growth in demand helped total revenue rise 12.8% to $586.2m. Adjusted earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation, amortisation and restructuring (EBITDAR) rose 11.5% year-on-year to $88.7m. Peter Foster, Air Astana CE, said: “Our team delivered a robust performance in the first half of 2024 against a backdrop of inflationary cost pressures across the sector.” Foster said development of the carrier’s fleet was progressing “ahead of schedule” and he expected three more planes than originally planned by the end of 2024. The increase comes despite ongoing issues with the airline’s Pratt and Whitney-manufactured geared turbofan (GTF) engines, many of which have been recalled for inspection. “This increased capacity is one of several actions to mitigate off-wing time from Pratt & Whitney engines and enable us to meet rising demand for air travel across Kazakhstan and Central Asia. We also continue to expand the network and strategically allocate capacity to important growth regions such as China and South Korea.” He added: “With passenger numbers at record highs and a strong booking curve for the third quarter, we are well positioned for the peak summer season.""<br/>