Central Asia Aviation Summit in Astana Explores Оpening Windows of Opportunity 

The Astana Times provides news and information from Kazakhstan and around the world. ASTANA – Central Asia’s aviation sector is being reshaped by global disruptions, as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine force airlines to reroute traffic and drive a sharp increase in flights over the region, according to Rizwan Siddiqui, country manager for Central Asia at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Central Asia’s aviation sector is being reshaped by global disruptions. Photo credit: IATA “Just to give you an overview, before these geopolitical conflicts, we were talking about 600 to 800 flights overflying Central Asian skies, which has now doubled. It is now going to 1200 to 1500 flights per day,” he said.  Rizwan Siddiqui, country manager for Central Asia at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Photo credit: The Astana Times/ Aida Dosbergenova Astana hosted the Central Asia Aviation Summit on April 15, bringing together more than 200 industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.  The shift comes amid broader pressures on the aviation industry, including volatile jet fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and aircraft delivery delays, all of which are increasing operating costs for airlines globally. Siddiqui stressed that jet fuel prices have become highly volatile in recent weeks, while availability remains a concern in some markets, adding pressure on carriers in both Europe and Asia. “Especially if you look at the last 45 days, the jet fuel prices are on a roller coaster. Every day they are changing, making a big impact on the airlines. And it is not only about the price. The availability of jet fuel is a major issue right now. Especially the airlines in Asia and Europe are under big pressure. All of them are trying to optimize the schedule,” Siddiqui said.  Fuel alone, which historically accounted for 13–15% of operating costs, has in some cases climbed to nearly 30%, he added. Despite these pressures, demand for air travel remains resilient. Passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, continues to grow, while cargo demand is also rising steadily. According to the latest data from the IATA, total demand was up 6.1% compared to February 2025. In its Long‑Term Demand Projections (LTDP) for air travel released in March, the organization forecasts global air passenger demand to more than double by 2050. Supply chain disruptions also continue to limit the industry’s ability to expand. “We are talking about an almost 15,000 plus shortfall in the aircraft deliveries that are delayed,” Siddiqui said, warning that the shortfall is already having a significant impact on airline performance. Regional perspective Against this backdrop, Central Asia and Kazakhstan in particular are emerging as both a transit corridor and a growing aviation market.  Kazakhstan recorded a 71% increase in seat capacity in 2025, driven largely by a surge in domestic travel. Siddiqui noted that this increase was driven by FlyArystan, a low-cost carrier that has significantly expanded accessibility and demand. International traffic also rose by 32%. “Uzbekistan is also coming up quite fast,” he added, noting an overall capacity growth of 37%, including a 50% rise in domestic travel and 34% internationally.   However, structural differences between the two markets remain stark. Kazakhstan’s vast geography, with flights lasting up to three hours between major cities, naturally supports high domestic demand. Uzbekistan, by contrast, has shorter routes and a well-developed high-speed rail network, limiting the growth potential of domestic aviation.  Siddiqui stressed airlines across the region are increasingly moving toward international expansion, even as domestic markets continue to grow. Kazakhstan stands out, with domestic routes accounting for roughly 65% of traffic. Cargo is another promising area for the region to harness. Siddiqui brought up figures indicating that, globally, the largest air cargo flows remain concentrated between Asia and North America. “Second is Asia and Europe. Here is the opportunity for Central Asia. This is the area where we have to look into it,” he added.  However, supply chain constraints and aircraft shortages are also affecting cargo operations, with delays in wide-body aircraft deliveries forcing airlines to rely more heavily on cargo carried in passenger aircraft. Challenges to aviation growth Kazakhstan remains Central Asia’s leading aviation market amid rising regional competition and global constraints that challenge its growth trajectory, said Maxim Pyadushkin, chief editor at Central Asia+ Aero, an independent media outlet specializing in aviation.  Maxim Pyadushkin, chief editor at Central Asia+ Aero, an independent media outlet specializing in aviation. Photo credit: The Astana Times/ Aida Dosbergenova “Kazakhstan has been a longtime leader in commercial aviation across the region. First of all, it still has the largest passenger traffic volumes. (…) It also has the largest air carrier, Air Astana Group, which has a quite impressive fleet network. Kazakhstan also has the busiest airport in the region, which is Almaty [airport]. It served almost 12 million passengers last year,” he said.  According to the latest figures from the IATA, in Kazakhstan, 44,700 people are directly employed in the aviation sector, contributing $2.1 billion to the national economy, or 0.8% of total GDP. Tourism supported by aviation alone contributes $356 million to GDP and provides employment for 15,000 people. “Over the decades, Kazakhstan has made a great effort to bring its aviation sector up to the global standards. It is actually a success story because Kazakhstan is one of the few who can tell exactly what it takes to get out of Europe’s black list,” he added.  However, Pyadushkin warned that the sector is entering a more challenging phase. After years of rapid expansion, growth slowed to single digits in 2025 for the first time. Network expansion is increasingly constrained by geopolitical factors, particularly restrictions affecting routes to the north and south, as well as global delays in aircraft deliveries. At the same time, he noted that competition in the domestic market is intensifying, with new players entering.  Zooming out, Pyadushkin said the global situation “has never been more favorable for Central Asia.” “We all know that the conflict in Iran significantly disrupted the operations of major transit hubs in the Gulf. We still remain uncertain when they will be able to return to their traditional transit categories. This left millions of travelers literally looking for a new way home,” he said.  The region, he noted, has seen a surge in traffic, effectively reviving the region’s role as a modern Silk Road.  However, he stressed that to capture a share of global transit traffic, the region will need substantial investment in ground infrastructure, including modern passenger terminals, efficient transfer systems and cargo-friendly facilities. “This means modern terminals, reliable MRO [repair and overhaul] facilities and competitive fuel pricing,” he said. “Central Asia has a location, it has ambition, and it has growth. But the growth itself is not a strategy.” “The defining question for the carriers is whether they are prepared to seize this moment and claim a spot on the global market that reflects their true potential,” he said.  International partnerships The United Kingdom is seeking to deepen aviation cooperation with Kazakhstan, said British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sally Axworthy while addressing the summit.  British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sally Axworthy. Photo credit: The Astana Times/ Aida Dosbergenova “The U.K. and Kazakhstan have had a long-standing cooperation on aviation, as I am sure everybody knows. British Aerospace was one of the founding partners of Air Astana, and Air Astana is still listed in London. We have taken a close part in the development of Kazakhstan’s aviation since the start,” she said.  She added that aerospace remains a strategic sector for the British economy and a priority for government support. “The sector generated £13.6 billion [US$18.4 billion] in value added in 2024, and it supports 100,000 skilled jobs, including thousands of apprentices who represent the next generation of aviation talent,” she said.  Axworthy said Britain’s industrial strategy, published in 2025, identified advanced manufacturing and aerospace as the country’s priority sectors for investment. As part of that strategy, the government plans to support innovation, sustainable aviation fuel and regulatory reform. “We believe that the U.K. contributes to the global industry through institutions like the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority and the Royal Aeronautical Society, which play a central role in advancing aviation safety standards, airspace modernization and next-generation flight technologies,” she said.  The ambassador pointed to several British companies participating in the aviation summit, including Airbus, Rolls-Royce and AJ Walter Aviation “I think the plans that the government and Kazakhstan’s companies have now for developing this sector are really interesting,” she added.  The post Central Asia Aviation Summit in Astana Explores Оpening Windows of Opportunity  appeared first on The Astana Times.