Low-cost airlines - The Times Of Central Asia

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Air Transport

Almaty to Issyk-Kul Flights Open Scenic Cross-Border Gateway

Regular passenger flights now link Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, to Lake Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan’s premier tourist destination. The new air service was launched by Kyrgyzstan’s Asman Airlines on June 27, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport. The airline will operate two weekly flights, on Mondays and Fridays, between Almaty and Tamchy airport, located on the lake’s northern shore. Kazakhstan's low-cost carrier Fly Arystan is also set to launch direct flights between Almaty and Issyk-Kul, beginning July 3. These flights will run twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. Lake Issyk-Kul remains a favored summer destination for tourists across the region, particularly among Almaty residents seeking weekend getaways. The new air routes are expected to improve access for travelers from southern Kazakhstan, significantly reducing travel time and simplifying logistics during the peak tourist season. The Asman Airlines flight between Almaty and Issyk-Kul takes approximately one hour and 20 minutes. Previously, travelers had to drive over 460 kilometers via Bishkek, a journey that typically took about eight hours. Efforts to shorten this overland route continue. The Times of Central Asia recently reported on the advancement of a long-discussed highway project aimed at directly linking Almaty to Issyk-Kul. Although the two locations are only 80 kilometers apart in a straight line, mountain ranges force travelers to detour through the Kyrgyz capital. The lake has also become more accessible to tourists from Uzbekistan. On June 22, Uzbek budget airline Fly Khiva launched regular flights from Tashkent to Tamchy. These flights will operate every Sunday through August 10, 2025.

Low-cost airlines

Uzbek Student Accuses Wizz Air of Discrimination After Being Denied Boarding without Explanation

Earlier this year, Uzbekistan’s Competition Committee took action against Wizz Air following complaints about the airline’s failure to offer safety instructions in the Uzbek language on a flight from Samarkand to Abu Dhabi. Now, another troubling incident has come to light, this time, involving an Uzbek student who claims he was denied boarding without explanation, possibly due to his nationality. ------- Suhrob Ubaydullayev, a University of World Languages student in Uzbekistan, was returning home after completing a Work and Travel program in Europe. He had booked a Wizz Air flight from Rome to Abu Dhabi, with a connection onward to Samarkand. According to Ubaydullayev, despite having all required travel documents — including a valid passport, visa, and certificates from Germany’s Federal Employment Agency — he was inexplicably denied boarding at the gate. “I had all my documents in order,” Ubaydullayev told The Times of Central Asia. “The staff checked them and gave them back to me, but when I reached the gate, they suddenly said I couldn’t fly. No reason. No explanation.” He claims the airline staff asked him a single question — “Are you from Uzbekistan?” — and upon hearing his affirmative response, refused to let him on board. What followed, he says, was a humiliating and deeply distressing ordeal: threats of calling the police, warnings that his embassy wouldn’t be able to assist him, and a refusal to provide any written explanation. “I was speaking English clearly — communication wasn’t an issue,” he told TCA, “but they treated me like a criminal. I believe it was simply because I’m from Uzbekistan.” Ubaydullayev says that this incident occurred on 31 August 2023. He has repeatedly sent emails to the company requesting compensation. However, most emails went unanswered, or he was told to wait. ------- After being left behind in Rome, Ubaydullayev’s troubles worsened. Because he was denied boarding on August 31, Ubaydullayev was at immediate risk of overstaying his visa, which expired on the same day. This meant that any further stay in the Schengen area would make his presence technically illegal under EU immigration law. He scraped together borrowed funds to fly to Istanbul, where he found himself sleeping on the streets. “I met some Uzbek guys near the Sultan Ahmed Mosque who offered help,” he said. “But they ended up taking my money and disappearing.” His eventual return home took him through Kazan, Russia, and Osh, Kyrgyzstan, before finally reaching Namangan — emotionally drained, physically exhausted, and over $2,000 in debt. Now, Ubaydullayev has accused Wizz Air of discrimination, human rights violations, and consumer protection breaches. He has filed a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights and says his lawyers are currently working through the pre-trial phase. “This is about more than me,” he said. “This is a fight for justice — for every Uzbek passenger who deserves to be treated with dignity.” ------- In giving a legal assessment of Ubaydullayev’s case to TCA, legal expert Azizbek Odilov says the airline’s actions amount to a...

Aviation

Four New Foreign Low-Cost Carriers to Launch Flights from Kazakhstan

Four new low-cost airlines are set to enter Kazakhstan’s aviation market, further expanding the country’s international air connectivity, according to Vice Minister of Transport Talgat Lastayev. Lastayev highlighted that the number of international flights to and from Kazakhstan has been increasing annually. The country currently has air links with 31 countries and 58 cities, operating 119 international routes. In 2024, 12 new flights were introduced across 22 routes, including major cities such as Mumbai (India), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), and Prague (Czech Republic). Additionally, flights on 10 previously suspended routes were resumed. In 2025, Kazakhstan plans to launch flights to 16 new destinations, including Rome, Munich, Budapest, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Busan. The country’s low-cost flight options will also expand with the arrival of four new budget airlines: SpiceJet (India) Eastar Jet (South Korea) T’way Air (South Korea) Thai AirAsia (Thailand) The entry of these carriers is expected to make international travel more affordable for passengers. Lastayev also noted that Kazakhstan’s “open skies” policy, aimed at liberalizing the aviation sector, was expanded in 2024 to include airports in Kyzylorda, Kostanay, and Atyrau. The policy is now in effect at all of Kazakhstan’s international airports.