Vietjet Qazaqstan

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
Qazaq Air
Vietjet Qazaqstan
IATA ICAO Call sign
IQ QAZ SAMRUK
Founded1 April 2015[1]
Commenced operations
27 August 2015[1]
HubsNursultan Nazarbayev International Airport
IQ Bonus[2]
Fleet size5[3]
Parent companySamruk-Kazyna — 49%
Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited — 49%
Kazasia Holdings Limited — 2%[1]
HeadquartersAstana, Kazakhstan
Key peopleAdilbek Umraliyev, chairman of the management board[4]
Revenueabout KZT 21 billion, 2024[3]
Websitevietjetqazaqstan.kz

Qazaq Air JSC («QAZAQ AIR» АҚ), doing business as Vietjet Qazaqstan since 2025,[5] is a Kazakhstani airline based at Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport in Astana and practically a subsidiary of the Vietnamese franchise VietJet Air. The airline operates scheduled domestic and international flights, as well as subsidised routes under a state programme.[6]

The airline was established in 2015 by the Samruk-Kazyna fund.[1] In 2025, the privatisation of the company was completed: the shareholders of QAZAQ AIR became Samruk-Kazyna JSC with 49%, Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited with 49%, and Kazasia Holdings Limited with 2%.[1] Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited is part of Vietnam's Sovico Group.[1] In 2026, the company formalised a representative office in the Russian Federation, registered in Yekaterinburg.[7]

History

2015–2018

In April 2015, Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund established Qazaq Air JSC as a subsidiary company.[8] The airline was presented on 6 July 2015 in Astana.[9][10][11]

The first scheduled passenger flight took place on 27 August 2015 on the Almaty — Astana route.[12] During the first five days of operations, more than 900 passengers used the airline's services.[13] By 21 October 2015, the airline had carried more than 10,000 passengers since its establishment.[14]

In May 2017, the airline's first Kazakhstani pilots began performing their duties. In 2015, Qazaq Air selected 16 Kazakhstani pilots for training on De Havilland Dash-8-Q400NG aircraft; by the end of May 2017, 15 Kazakhstani pilots had received clearance for independent flights as first officers, while one pilot became the company's first Kazakhstani aircraft captain.[15]

In 2017, more than 250,000 passengers used the company's services, a 53.6% increase compared with the same period in 2016.[16] The number of routes increased to 15.

In July 2017, the airline operated its first international flight: under a charter programme, it began flights from Almaty to Issyk-Kul International Airport in the village of Tamchy, Kyrgyzstan.[17]

QAZAQ AIR fleet

In June 2018, the Chinese airline China Express Airlines expressed its readiness to participate in the privatisation of Qazaq Air. The regional carriers signed a memorandum of understanding on the development of strategic cooperation.[18]

In November 2018, Qazaq Air became the third Kazakhstani carrier to pass the International Air Transport Association's IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) and receive IOSA certification.[19] According to the company's annual report, in 2018 Qazaq Air carried 307,000 passengers, operated 5,451 flights, and its route network included 14 destinations between 12 cities in Kazakhstan.[20]

2019–2023

According to results for the first half of 2019, the airline reported that it had carried more than 920,000 passengers since the start of operations.[21]

In July 2019, Qazaq Air became the 293rd member of the International Air Transport Association.[22]

In November 2019, the airline successfully completed its second IATA operational safety audit for compliance with IOSA standards; its IOSA certificate and operator status were extended until November 2021.[23]

In 2023, Samruk-Kazyna began the process of privatising Qazaq Air. According to The Tenge, the airline was planned to be sold in the second half of 2023; however, the tender was declared unsuccessful and the sale was postponed to 2024. The publication also stated that Vietnam's SOVICO Group had shown interest in acquiring the carrier.[24]

2024–2026

On 24 December 2024, Samruk-Kazyna JSC signed a share purchase agreement for Qazaq Air with a consortium of investors consisting of Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited and Kazasia Holdings Limited; the agreement entered into force on 27 December 2024 after the adoption of Government of Kazakhstan Resolution No. 1130.[3] The transaction was carried out under the state property privatisation programme of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[3] According to the fund, Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited was part of Sovico Group, the main shareholder of VietJet Air.[3]

Samruk-Kazyna stated that at the time of the transaction Qazaq Air operated five Bombardier Dash 8-Q400 aircraft, carried more than 600,000 passengers in 2024, generated about KZT 21 billion in revenue, and recorded EBITDA of more than KZT 2 billion.[3] Materials related to the transaction also stated plans to expand the airline's fleet by at least 20 Boeing 737 MAX or Airbus A321 aircraft within several years.[3][25]

In December 2024, after the Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft crash near Aktau, Qazaq Air temporarily suspended flights from Astana to Yekaterinburg due to a reassessment of flight risks over Russian territory.[26]

On 6 May 2025, Samruk-Kazyna announced the completion of the transfer of a stake in Qazaq Air to a consortium of strategic investors consisting of Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited and Kazasia Holdings Limited.[27] According to Kapital.kz, 51% of the airline's shares were transferred to the investor consortium, while Samruk-Kazyna's stake decreased to 49%.[28]

On the same day, Vietjet Air and Qazaq Air signed a strategic partnership agreement; according to Samruk-Kazyna, a new airline, Vietjet Qazaqstan, was created on the Qazaq Air platform, while Sovico Group and VietJet Air were expected to participate in its management and operations.[27] It was also reported that Vietjet Qazaqstan would operate a fleet of at least 20 Boeing 737 aircraft, and that Qazaq Air and Boeing had signed a Customer Services General Terms Agreement covering software solutions, spare parts supply, technical support, and training programmes for pilots and engineers.[27]

The airline's official materials use the wording "QAZAQ AIR JSC, operating under the VIETJET QAZAQSTAN trademark".[5] In October 2025, the airline announced the launch of direct flights from Astana to Bishkek and Samarkand; flights on the Astana–Samarkand route were scheduled to begin on 7 November 2025, and flights on the Astana–Bishkek route on 10 November 2025.[29]

In 2025, QAZAQ AIR marked the 10th anniversary of its operational activities. According to the company, during those ten years the airline carried more than 4 million passengers and operated more than 66,000 flights; in 2024, around 601,000 passengers used the carrier's services.[30]

In April 2026, the website of the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia published a note from the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation dated 4 April 2026, No. 30-04/488, concerning the designation of Qazaq Air JSC as a scheduled carrier of passengers, baggage, cargo, and mail on the routes Aktobe–Kazan–Aktobe, Astana–Novosibirsk–Astana, Astana–Omsk–Astana, and Astana–Yekaterinburg–Astana, with a frequency of up to seven flights per week on each route.[31]

According to the Federal Tax Service of Russia, on 27 February 2026 the board of directors of QAZAQ AIR JSC decided to establish a representative office of the company in the Russian Federation. On 15 April 2026, the Federal Air Transport Agency approved the accreditation of the representative office, and on 29 April 2026 the information about it was entered into the state register of accredited branches and representative offices of foreign legal entities; the representative office is registered in Yekaterinburg.[7][32]

Route network

As of 2026, according to the official Vietjet Qazaqstan website, the airline operates scheduled domestic and international flights, as well as subsidised routes under a state programme.[6]

Domestic routes

  • Astana – Almaty – Astana
  • Astana – Aktobe – Astana
  • Astana – Zhezkazgan – Astana
  • Astana – Kostanay – Astana
  • Astana – Kyzylorda – Astana
  • Astana – Taldykorgan – Astana

Subsidised routes

  • Astana – Petropavl – Astana

International routes

  • Astana – Samarkand – Astana
  • Astana – Omsk – Astana
  • Astana – Novosibirsk – Astana
  • Astana – Bishkek – Astana

International route designations

In April 2026, the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia published a note from the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Russian Federation concerning the designation of Qazaq Air JSC as a scheduled carrier on routes between Kazakhstan and Russia: Aktobe–Kazan–Aktobe, Astana–Novosibirsk–Astana, Astana–Omsk–Astana, and Astana–Yekaterinburg–Astana. The document specified a frequency of up to seven flights per week on each of these routes.[31]

Fleet

De Havilland Dash-8-Q400NG

Qazaq Air operates De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 turboprop aircraft, formerly known as the Bombardier Q400.[3]

The first three aircraft were taken under operating lease from Falcon Aviation Services LLC of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.[33] Based on 2016 financial reporting, media reported that the lease cost was US$610,000–615,000 per month.[34]

In December 2017, an agreement was signed for the acquisition of two new De Havilland Dash-8-Q400NG airliners.[35] Their delivery took place in the first half of 2019.[36]

Qazaq Air fleet
Aircraft type Registration Seats Year of manufacture
De Havilland Canada Dash 8-400 UP-DH001 78 2015
UP-DH002 78 2015
UP-DH003 76 2015
UP-DH004 86 2019
UP-DH005 86 2019

Ownership

From April 2015 to May 2025, 100% of Qazaq Air's shares were owned by the state through the Samruk-Kazyna fund.[1] In May 2025, the airline's privatisation was completed: the shareholders became Samruk-Kazyna JSC with 49%, Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited with 49%, and Kazasia Holdings Limited with 2%.[1][28]

According to Qazaq Air, Central Asia Aviation Holdings Limited is part of Vietnam's Sovico Group.[1] Samruk-Kazyna statements also said that Sovico Group and VietJet Air were expected to participate in the management and operations of Vietjet Qazaqstan.[27]

References

  1. "About Us". Vietjet Qazaqstan. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  2. "Часто задаваемые вопросы". Vietjet Qazaqstan. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  3. "АО «Самрук-Қазына» объявляет о подписании договора купли-продажи акций АО «QAZAQ AIR» с консорциумом инвесторов". Samruk-Kazyna. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  4. "Адилбек Умралиев стал председателем правления Qazaq Air". Kapital.kz. 3 October 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  5. "Первые пассажиры отправились новым прямым рейсом из Астаны в Бишкек". Vietjet Qazaqstan. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  6. "Направления". Vietjet Qazaqstan. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  7. "Государственный реестр аккредитованных филиалов, представительств иностранных юридических лиц". Federal Tax Service of Russia. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  8. "Qazaq Air расширяет сеть региональных маршрутов". Kapital.kz. 25 September 2015. Archived from the original on 31 October 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  9. "Презентована авиакомпания Qazaq Air". Tengri News. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  10. "Как выглядят самолеты Qazaq Air". Tengri News. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  11. "В Астане презентовали новую авиакомпанию Qazaq Air". Zakon.kz. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  12. Alina Yesenalina, Bakhtiyar Darkeyev (28 August 2015). "Qazaq air совершила первый коммерческий рейс". Informburo. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  13. "За 5 дней услугами Qazaq Air воспользовались более 900 пассажиров". Kazinform. 1 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  14. "Через несколько лет казахстанцы станут больше летать, считают в «Qazaq Air»". Kazinform. 21 October 2015. Archived from the original on 28 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  15. "Национальный ориентир". ATO.ru. 28 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  16. "QAZAQ AIR подвела итоги своей деятельности в 2017". Forbes Kazakhstan. 9 January 2018. Archived from the original on 7 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  17. "Qazaq Air запускает первый международный рейс". Forbes Kazakhstan. 28 July 2017. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  18. "Китайская авиакомпания заинтересовалась покупкой казахстанской Qazaq Air". ATO.ru. 13 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  19. "Аудит IOSA прошёл третий авиаперевозчик Казахстана". ATO.ru. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2019.
  20. "Годовой отчёт 2018" (PDF). QAZAQ AIR. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  21. "Qazaq Air в первом полугодии увеличила пассажиропоток на 16%". inbusiness.kz. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  22. "Авиакомпания Qazaq Air прошла сертификацию IATA". ATO.ru. 17 July 2019. Archived from the original on 30 July 2019. Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  23. "Qazaq Air подтвердила соответствие международным стандартам IOSA". ATO.ru. 4 December 2019. Archived from the original on 7 December 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  24. "Продажу Qazaq Air перенесли на 2024 год". The Tenge. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  25. "Первые самолеты от Sovico Group пополнят авиапарк Qazaq Air в 2025 году". Kapital.kz. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  26. "Уже вторая авиакомпания сворачивает рейсы с Россией после крушения пассажирского самолета «Азербайджанских авиалиний» 25 декабря". Novaya Gazeta. 27 December 2024. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  27. "Историческая сделка: АО «Самрук-Қазына» успешно завершило передачу акций Qazaq Air стратегическому инвестору". Samruk-Kazyna. 6 May 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  28. "Какой пакет акций Qazaq Air продан инвесторам". Kapital.kz. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  29. "QAZAQ AIR (VIETJET QAZAQSTAN) открывает прямые рейсы из Астаны в Кыргызстан и Узбекистан". Vietjet Qazaqstan. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  30. "QAZAQ AIR (Vietjet Qazaqstan): 10 Years in the Sky — Stories, Achievements and New Horizons". Vietjet Qazaqstan. 16 October 2025. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  31. "Нота Посольства Республики Казахстан в Российской Федерации от 04.04.2026 № 30-04/488 относительно назначения компании АО «Qazaq Air» в качестве регулярного перевозчика пассажиров, багажа, грузов и почты". Federal Air Transport Agency. 15 April 2026. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  32. "Аккредитация филиалов и представительств иностранных юридических лиц". Federal Tax Service of Russia. Retrieved 19 May 2026.
  33. "Казахстанская авиакомпания Qazaq Air получила первые три самолета Q400". ATO.ru. 6 July 2015. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  34. Denis Krivosheev (4 September 2017). "Убытки QazaqAir превысили 9 млрд тенге". Zakon.kz. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2017.
  35. "QAZAQ AIR приобрела два самолета Bombardier Q400 NextGen". Forbes Kazakhstan. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 12 March 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  36. "Новое воздушное судно QAZAQ AIR совершило первый рейс". 24.kz. 8 May 2019. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.