FlyArystan, the budget arm of Kazakhstan's flag carrier, has picked a location for its second domestic base ahead of a planned doubling of its fleet.
Since May, FlyArystan has been operating six routes from Almaty using a pair of Airbus A320 narrowbodies handed down by parent Air Astana.
A new base is to be opened at Karaganda, Kazakhstan's fourth-largest city, in the second quarter of 2020. One A320 will initially be stationed there, and the airline plans to add a second in late 2020 or early 2021.
FlyArystan has been operating from Karaganda since May, and serves Almaty daily from the city.
Finance chief Ibrahim Canliel believes that the new base should give the carrier ample opportunities to develop its route network.
"We're looking to massively expand our Karaganda operation starting from the second quarter of next year," he says. "After having based there two aircraft, the number of our scheduled destinations will be around a dozen, and passenger numbers could reach 1 million."
The immediate business plan for FlyArystan's second operational base envisages hiring 120 flight and ground personnel.
During the three months since its launch, the carrier has transported 200,000 passengers. By 2022, it wants to increase its fleet up to 15 aircraft stationed at several bases across Kazakhstan.
This story has been updated to clarify the plans for Karaganda and correct the spelling of Canliel's surname
Source: Cirium Dashboard
