On April 9, 2026, Air Astana, the national flag carrier of Kazakhstan, hosted a grand inauguration event for its new Shanghai route at the Peace Hotel in Shanghai. MaxMedia, the airline’s official PR agency in China, was responsible for the full planning and execution of the event. Shanghai marks Air Astana’s latest destination in China, following the launch of its Almaty–Guangzhou service in March 2025. With the addition of Shanghai, Air Astana (KC), together with its subsidiary FlyArystan (FS), now serves six cities in China（Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Sanya and Yining）,operating a total of eight round-trip routes between Kazakhstan and China.
Air Astana Shanghai press conference
During the afternoon press conference on April 9, Air Astana Group Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Canliel and Senior Regional Manager for China and Mongolia Islam Sekerbekov engaged with more than 30 mainstream media, including CCTV, Dragon TV, Shanghai TV, CBN, CAAC News, The Paper, Jiemian News, Xinmin Evening News, Shanghai Radio, China Daily and Wenhui Daily. Key discussion topics included the airline’s future development in the China market, fleet expansion plans, and China–Kazakhstan tourism cooperation.
Mr. Ibrahim Canliel, Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana
Mr. Islam Sekerbekov, Senior Regional Manager of China & Mongolia, Air Astana
With Shanghai officially added to its network, Air Astana Group (including its subsidiary FlyArystan) now operates 32 weekly flights connecting Kazakhstan with six major Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Urumqi, Sanya and Yining). The network provides Chinese travelers with enhanced direct connectivity as well as seamless transfer options to Central Asia, the Caucasus, Europe and broader Asia. In 2025, Air Astana Group carried over 250,000 passengers between Kazakhstan and China, representing a 96% year-on-year increase.
Air Astana CEO Ibrahim Canliel gave a media interview
Speaking at the event, Air Astana Group Chief Executive Officer Ibrahim Canliel stated: “The launch of the Shanghai route marks a significant milestone in the expansion of our network and reflects the growing ties between Kazakhstan and China. Supported by visa-free policies, we are seeing strong growth in both business and leisure travel demand. Shanghai, as a global metropolis, becomes our sixth destination in China. This new route will further enhance connectivity between the two countries and provide passengers with convenient access to more destinations across our network.”
The celebration was honored by congratulatory remarks from distinguished guests representing both Kazakhstan and China, including: Mr. Ibrahim Canliel, Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana; Mr. Peter Foster, Former Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana; Mr. Nurlan Akkoshkarov, Consul General of Kazakhstan in Shanghai; Mr. Wang Zhihua, Deputy Director General of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism; Ms. Zhao Haibo, Vice President of Shanghai Airport Group; and Mr. Zhang Yubin, Senior Vice President of Marketing Division of China Southern Airlines.
Mr. Ibrahim Canliel, Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana
Mr. Nurlan Akkoshkarov, Consul General of Kazakhstan in Shanghai
Mr. Peter Foster, former Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana
The event venue was infused with rich Kazakh atmosphere, highlighted by an authentic Kazakh yurt specially transported from Kazakhstan, which vividly showcased the nation’s unique nomadic culture.
Guests were treated to a magnificent cultural feast of Kazakh heritage, featuring a performance by Kazakhstan’s premier dance ensemble, the Astana Ballet, accompanied by a Kazakh national orchestra and vocalists, followed by the Umai fashion show presented by renowned Kazakh designer Aizhan Bekkulova.
Air Astana has been steadily expanding its China network since launching its Almaty–Beijing route more than 20 years ago. In the first half of this year, in addition to the new “Shanghai–Almaty” route, Air Astana will also introduce a direct service between Kazakhstan’s capital, Astana, and Guangzhou starting June 2, 2026, with two weekly flights.
As of April 2026, Air Astana Group operates a fleet of 63 aircraft, comprising 35 aircraft operated by Air Astana and 28 operated by its subsidiary, FlyArystan.
In February 2026, Air Astana signed a procurement agreement with Boeing for up to 15 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, consisting of five firm orders, five options, and five purchase rights, with deliveries scheduled between 2032 and 2035. Additionally, Air Astana signed an agreement with Airbus for five firm orders of A320neo aircraft and 20 firm orders of A321neo aircraft, expected to be delivered between 2031 and 2034, along with purchase rights for an additional 25 A320neo Family aircraft.
Group photo of Air Astana team
MaxMedia Founder & CEO Captain Frank and Air Astana Group CEO Ibrahim Canliel
MaxMedia has been partnering with Air Astana on PR and marketing initiatives in the Chinese market since 2017, witnessing the airline’s rapid and robust development. MaxMedia Founder and CEO Captain Frank said: “With over 15 years of marketing experience in the aviation sector, we are dedicated to further enhancing Air Astana’s brand awareness and expanding its influence in China, supporting the airline as it embarks on a new chapter of growth.”
