Kazakhstan sets new regulations on overbooking

According to the General Prosecutor's Office, over the past two years some Kazakhstani airlines have frequently used overbooking—particularly on high-demand routes and during holidays or weekends.  As a result, passengers holding paid tickets were denied boarding and forced to look for alternatives. Growing public discontent highlighted the urgency of addressing the issue.

Until recently, airlines in Kazakhstan were held liable for failing to provide a seat to ticketed passengers only on international flights.

At the suggestion of the Prosecutor's Office, the Majilis of the Parliament considered the issue of amending the Code of Administrative Offenses, extending the scope of responsibility to domestic flights.

Under the new regulation, airlines are now subject to administrative liability for violating rules related to the domestic transportation of passengers, baggage, and cargo. Carriers may face a fine of 50 monthly calculation indices (196,600 tenge) for such violations.

As reported earlier, a new flight connecting the cities of Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and Almaty, Kazakhstan, is to be opened on May 28.