KAZAKHSTAN: Air Astana And Lufthansa Sign Codeshare Deal

Air Astana and Lufthansa have enhanced their cooperation with the signing of a codeshare agreement.

The codeshare agreement is valid on Air Astana’s flights between Astana and Frankfurt and Lufthansa’s flights from Frankfurt to Almaty and Astana.

The agreement allows for increased choice for the customers of both airlines. Passengers will now be able to choose from a combined total of 14 flights per week instead of the seven weekly flights between Kazakhstan and Germany by each carrier.

This is particularly convenient for connecting passengers, who now have the ability to choose the flight that suits their schedule best, with seamless connectivity.

Regardless of the operating carrier, passengers can fly a combination of Air Astana and Lufthansa services using the ticket and code of either of the two airlines.

I’m delighted that the longstanding co-operative relationship between Air Astana and Lufthansa is being further strengthened with the signing of the codeshare agreement.

Passengers flying from Almaty and Astana to Frankfurt can now enjoy a greater choice of flights to best suit their schedules and the convenience of simply using the ticket of either of the two airlines, said Peter Foster, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Astana.

This is a winning step for both airlines and their passengers flying between Kazakhstan and Germany.

Axel Hilgers, Senior Director Sales Russia, CIS & Israel, said: This code share agreement is great news for our customers as it makes Kazakhstan more accessible. Passengers of both Lufthansa and Air Astana will have a much greater choice in flight options.

Kazakhstan is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and we highly welcome Air Astana as our new partner, and as the leading airline to and from Central Asia.

Besides improved connectivity of the combined network of the two airlines, customers will enjoy the seamless convenience of flying with a single ticket, using a single code of their airline that can provide through check in for both baggage and boarding pass/registration.

In order to provide an increased convenience for its passengers, Air Astana will move to Terminal 1 at Frankfurt Airport for ease of connectivity with Lufthansa and partner airline flights.

Meanwhile, Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s Skytrax award-winning national airline, returns to London Olympia with the announcement of a fifth weekly direct flight – on Sundays – from London Heathrow (LHR) to Kazakhstan’s capital city, Astana (TSE), effective 4th June 2017.

The new service departs T4 at 1715, arriving 0540 the following morning in Astana, a 6.25hr journey.

The return departs Astana at 1455hrs local time, arriving 1605hr the same day, a 7.10 flight.

The new service, conveniently timed ahead of the capital’s hosting of Expo 2017 (June 10th to September, 2017) complements existing departures to Astana on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Passengers flying direct with Air Astana, the only direct service between the two capitals, also benefit from seamless same-day connections to Kazakhstan’s second city Almaty and international destinations including Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital; Urumqi, northwest China; Tbilisi, Georgia; and the Russian cities of Novosibirsk and Yekaterinburg.

Air Astana offers a three class product aboard its comfortable Boeing 757 aircraft – 16 seats in business; 108 in economy and up to 12 innovative Economy Sleeper Seats, which afford more personal space and privacy with a guaranteed row of three seats in the front of the Economy class cabin.

Return fares start from £498 for Economy Class, £1,505 for an Economy Sleeper, and £1,968 for Business Class. Fares include all taxes and are valid for year round departures from London including the peak season.