Air Astana and China Southern Airlines signed a codeshare agreement on Tuesday, 29th July.
The agreement will involve cooperation on trunk routes between Kazakhstan and China providing travellers with more flight options.
The codeshare agreement covers Air Astana routes operated from Almaty to Beijing Capital, Almaty to Urumqi and Almaty to Guangzhou, as well as Astana to Beijing.
For China Southern Airlines, the codeshare covers routes operated on a regular basis from Beijing Daxing to Almaty, Guangzhou to Almaty, Urumqi to Almaty and Xian to Almaty, together with Guangzhou to Astana and Urumqi to Astana.
Forays into a strategic market
This most recent agreement was also a strategic decision on the part of both airlines, in light of the longstanding links between China and Kazakhstan.
Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster remarked: "China has always been a strategically important market for Air Astana. Partnering with China Southern Airlines will boost trade, tourism and cultural links with China and open a new chapter in aviation cooperation between the two countries."
Likewise, China Southern Airlines president and CEO Han Wensheng declared: “Codeshare cooperation with Air Astana will result in an increase in our service frequencies to Kazakhstan. It is not only a strategic move leveraging both airlines’ strengths but also a significant step in deepening Belt and Road aviation connectivity between China and Kazakhstan.”
