Aeroflot is all set to resume scheduled flights to Kazakhstan and has already started selling tickets from Russia to Astana, Almaty and Atyrau. The flights will resume from February 1, 2023 on Airbus A320.
This move has raised eyebrows in aviation circles as a large number of the airline fleet is stuck in a legal battle from lessors asking for the return of aircraft. According to sources, the aircraft that were previously purchased by Aeroflot from foreign leasing companies will be permitted to service those flights.
Aeroflot had bought eight Airbus A330 models from foreign leasing companies in May 2022. However, it can't be predicted if the airline plans on using the same planes on Kazakhstan route.
Aeroflot will operate two daily flights to Astana, three to Almaty, and two flights per week to Atyrau.
Meanwhile, lessors are seeking around $8 billion in damages from dozens of insurers over their unwillingness to pay out compensation for loss of the planes.
At present, Aeroflot subsidiary Rossiya Airlines is the only Russian-owned carrier to offer direct flights to Kazakhstan. Another alternative is Kazakh-owned SCAT Airlines operating on the Astana-Moscow route.