Airbus sees strong growth potential in Kazakhstan’s aviation market

— How do you assess the current Airbus fleet in Kazakhstan and its growth potential?

— 2026 is an anniversary year, marking 20 years since the first A320 entered service in Kazakhstan. Currently, the fleet of Airbus aircraft in the country exceeds 60. And recently, one of the country’s leading airlines took delivery of its 60th aircraft. The airline has also recently announced an additional order for 25 aircraft, highlighting the market’s continued growth potential.

— Which areas of cooperation between Airbus and Kazakhstan are the most important?

— I would say that starting from 2010, we moved to an active phase of cooperation. Those years were marked by the creation of two joint ventures.

One is Airbus Helicopters Kazakhstan Engineering, focused on helicopters.

The other is GHALAM, which is specialized in satellite design and development.

— Are there plans to expand partnerships with Kazakh airlines?

— Currently, we cooperate actively with a leading airline in Kazakhstan, which is our main aircraft customer.

The carrier has developed its own MRO center and now performs all scheduled inspections in-house, including 12-year checks. It has also established a training center and recently received its second A320 full- flight simulator.

We continue to support our partners in Kazakhstan by providing training for their personnel. We aim to further strengthen this cooperation and remain open to expanding partnerships with other airlines in the market.

— What prospects do you see for localization in Kazakhstan?

— Looking at our joint ventures, in the satellite sector we focus on developing local expertise, with all employees being Kazakh nationals.

We were also selected as a partner to support the development of local space infrastructure, including the AIT (Assembly, Integration and Test) center in Astana operated by GHALAM. The joint venture is capable of designing satellites, supporting their development and producing components.

So, this program is fully managed locally.

In the helicopter segment, as Kazakhstan set a goal to reduce mortality rates, Airbus offered not only helicopters but also the development of a comprehensive ecosystem.

Today, maintenance is performed locally, and we continue to provide training. To date, more than 180 technicians and more than 100 helicopter pilots have been trained in Astana.

— Does Airbus offer internship programs for Kazakh citizens?

— Yes, our helicopter joint venture runs such programs. We select students from the Almaty Aviation Academy and provide them with opportunities to gain hands-on experience by working with us.

Training is conducted primarily in Kazakhstan with travel to Europe required only for specific needs.

— Which Airbus technologies could enter Kazakhstan in the coming years?

— We are proud that Kazakhstan selected the Airbus A400M. The first aircraft was delivered in 2024, and the second is scheduled for delivery this year.

It is a unique platform that combines both tactical and strategic capabilities. Kazakhstan operates the aircraft for peacekeeping and humanitarian missions.

— Would you like to add anything else?

— We are honored to be a partner of Kazakhstan for 20 years and look forward to continuing this cooperation.

Kazakhstan also has ambitions to develop its air cargo sector, and we look forward to contributing to this growth.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Kazakhstan’s aviation sector continues to show steady growth, driven by fleet expansion, airport modernization and the Open Skies regime, with increasing passenger traffic and expanding route networks.