President orders airport tariff revision without price hikes
During a meeting on the development of regional cargo air hubs, the Head of State criticized the relevant ministries for delaying the resolution of pressing problems in the industry's development and the adoption of appropriate measures, Qazinform News Agency reports citing the Akorda press service.
The President tasked the Government to immediately begin the work and to address the problems promptly.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that special attention should be given to revising the current tariff policy for airport services.
According to him, over the past 10 years, tariffs have been increased only once - in 2025.
“Experience shows that keeping tariffs low leads to severe infrastructure wear and tear. A tariff review must ensure improvement of the current situation. At the same time, a balanced approach is needed to avoid sharp price hikes,” he emphasized.
The President stressed that the “tariff in exchange for investment” principle should become a fundamental condition for industry development in the coming years.
“Creating a favorable business climate is a strategic task. Investors’ voices must be carefully heard. Excessive regulation of non-aviation services at airports raises concerns. Complicated bureaucratic procedures for selecting companies through tenders and restrictions on contract terms - all of this must be stopped,” he underscored.
The Head of State also set a task to resolve the issues related to aviation fuel once and for all.
According to him, two main problems hinder the development of the industry - high prices and insufficient volumes of domestic production.
He underscored the necessity to increase domestic production volumes and to ensure diversification of import supplies over the next three years, as well as to maintain reasonable competition.
In his words, all regulatory changes should be introduced gradually and in a targeted manner, without disrupting stable fuel supplies.
“The next step should be the establishment of an aviation research institute and fuel certification laboratories on the ground of existing institutions. The Government, together with the antimonopoly authority, must quickly adopt a comprehensive package of measures to address these issues,” the President said.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that President Tokayev chaired a meeting on the development of regional cargo air hubs. The Head of State prioritized air hub development to boost the transport and transit sector.