3 April 2024

Air Astana Joint Stock Company

FlyArystan receives Air Operator Certificate

Air Astana Joint Stock Company (the "Company" and, together with its subsidiary FlyArystan, the "Group"), the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions by revenue and fleet size, is pleased to announce that FlyArystan, its low-cost carrier brand, has been granted its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) from the Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK).

The AOC issued on 1 April 2024 follows an extensive audit and examination process by the AAK and demonstrates FlyArystan's adherence to both domestic aviation legislation and international operational standards. Since launch in 2019, FlyArystan has operated under the Air Astana AOC. Under its own AOC, FlyArystan will be able to align operations more effectively with its low-cost carrier model and pursue additional growth opportunities. FlyArystan remains a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Group.

This is a strategic decision that will benefit both the Group and customers of FlyArystan. A separate AOC is vital for the growth and development of the airline. Operationally, it will ensure greater efficiency and recognition among aviation authorities worldwide. It also enables FlyArystan to receive its own IATA code which will allow it to expand distribution globally and to partner with other airlines.

Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group, said:

"The Air Astana Group comprises two differentiated and complementary airline brands. Since its launch five years ago, FlyArystan has grown into the market leader in Kazakhstan while stimulating the market, providing 3.6 million passengers with low-cost air travel in 2023 and expanding the fleet from four to 18 aircraft, with a further six to be delivered in 2024. This makes it the right time for FlyArystan to obtain its own operator certificate, reflecting the increased size and operational complexity of the airline. It provides the regulatory framework for FlyArystan to continue to grow while pursuing opportunities for international expansion."

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About the Air Astana Group

Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions by revenue and fleet size. The Group operates a fleet of 50 aircraft split between Air Astana, its full-service airline that operated its inaugural flight in 2002, and FlyArystan, its low-cost airline established in 2019. The Group provides scheduled, point-to-point and transit, short-haul and long-haul air travel and cargo on domestic, regional and international routes across Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Far East, the Middle East, India and Europe. In 2023, Air Astana was recognised eleven times in a row as the "Best Airline in Central Asia and CIS" at the Skytrax World Airline Awards and received a five-star rating in the major airline category by the APEX. FlyArystan was also awarded the Skytrax Award for "Best low-cost carrier in Central Asia and CIS" for the first time, and is one of the twelve Skytrax 4-Star airlines globally. The Group is listed on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, Astana International Exchange and London Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: AIRA).