Wikipedia

Almaty International Airport

Almaty International Airport[a] (IATA: ALA, ICAO: UAAA) is the largest international airport of Kazakhstan, surpassing Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ) in Astana and the largest international gateway into the country. It is a principal hub of Air Astana, the national flag carrier, as well as other domestic and international airlines. The airport plays role in connecting Almaty to the rest of the country and the broader region through its extensive transport links.

Almaty International Airport

Халықаралық Алматы Әуежайы

Halyqaralyq Almaty Äuejaiy
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerGroupe ADP
OperatorTAV Airports Holding
ServesAlmaty
LocationAlmaty, Kazakhstan (inside city limits)
Hub for
Focus city for
Elevation AMSL681 m / 2,234 ft
Coordinates43°21′19″N 077°02′41″E / 43.35528°N 77.04472°E / 43.35528; 77.04472
Websitealaport.com
Maps
ALA is located in Kazakhstan
ALA
ALA
Location in Almaty, Kazakhstan
ALA is located in Asia
ALA
ALA
ALA (Asia)
ALA is located in Eurasia
ALA
ALA
ALA (Eurasia)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05R/23L 4,400 14,436 Concrete
05L/23R 4,500 14,764 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Passengers9,547,136
Source: AIP Kazakhstan[2]

In 2023, Almaty International Airport handled a record 9,547,136 passengers, cementing its status as the busiest airport in Kazakhstan.[3] In 2022, it served 7.2 million passengers, with 63% traveling on domestic routes and 37% on international flights.[4] Additionally, the airport managed 88,400 tonnes of cargo in 2022, making it the largest airport in the country in terms of cargo volume.

With a strategic location and modern facilities, Almaty International Airport is major hub for passenger and cargo traffic in Kazakhstan and the wider Central Asian region.

Owners and management

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The airport is registered under name of "JSC Almaty International Airport", which is owned by Turkish airport company TAV Airports Holding.

Location

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The airport is located approximately 8.1 NM (15.0 km; 9.3 mi) to the north-east of central Almaty, on the outskirts of the city. It is bordered by a mix of open land and residential settlements. The airport is located north of the settlement of Guldala, and north-east of other city districts, including Tbilisskaya and Kolhozshy, all of which lie within the wider region of Almaty.

History

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A Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-86 at Almaty International Airport in 1996
 
Check-in hall

Early years

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The airport was built in 1935 for the use of small civil and military aircraft.[5] Till 1990, it was the part of Kazakh Department of Civil Aviation, and then reorganized into "Alma-Ata Airport" in 1991. Since 1993, it has run as an independent business unit. In 1994, it was reorganized into OJSC "Almaty Airport" and later renamed to JSC Almaty International Airport.

The supersonic transport (SST) Tupolev Tu-144 began service on 26 December 1975, flying mail and freight between Moscow and Alma-Ata in preparation for passenger services, which commenced in November 1977. The Aeroflot flight on 1 June 1978 was the Tu-144's 55th and last scheduled passenger service.

Following a runway reconstruction in 1998, Almaty airport was awarded a CAT II certificate and the status of an international airport.

On 9 July 1999, a fire started in the shashlik kitchen of the airport restaurant. The terminal building burned down in just a few hours, but without major injuries.

Development since 2000

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Construction of a new terminal was completed in 2004. On 30 September 2008, a second runway was opened with the first departure being a BMI flight bound for London Heathrow. The new runway was also given an ICAO certificate for CAT III landings which will significantly reduce the number of planes diverting to nearby airfields due to low visibility, especially during the winter months. The runway is the longest in central Asia. The new runway can accept all types of aircraft without limitation of take-off weight and operation frequency.

Growth in connectivity is in danger of being compromised by airport infrastructure that is comparatively expensive and not keeping pace with demand growth. IATA is urging the Kazakhstan government to follow ICAO principles and eliminate differential ANSP charges between domestic and international carriers. In 2012, it was 18% more expensive to turn around an Airbus A320 in Almaty than at similarly sized airports in Europe. The differential rose to 43% for a Boeing 767.[6]

There were plans to build a new passenger terminal for international flights with six loading bridges and capacity up to 2,500 passengers per hour in the near future. A developed infrastructure complex consisting of a Marriott Hotel, conference halls, business center, shopping center and cinemas were planned to be within this terminal.[citation needed]

To reduce roadway traffic, the new international terminal was sited across the airport from the existing terminal, which was to be retained for domestic flights. However, construction was suspended in 2010 over disagreements with Air Astana, which often used the same aircraft for consecutive international and domestic flights. The airline said this site arrangement would require such flights to switch terminals, which would mandate crossing the runways, hindering efficiency and disrupting flight operations. A German consulting group hired by the airport reached the same conclusions and recommended the construction of a combined terminal for both domestic and international flights. In 2017, airport leaders announced that the partially completed international terminal would be demolished, and a new combined terminal would be built.[7]

On February 17, 2012, in Moscow, at the 32nd session of the Council on Aviation and the Use of Airspace of the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC), Almaty International Airport was recognized as the best in the CIS and received the prize "For Achievements in the Development of International Airports".[8]

Protesters seized the airport on 5 January during the 2022 Kazakh unrest, halting flights. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that eight members of Kazakh security forces had been killed and the insurgents had hijacked five airplanes, and he appealed to Russian security forces to retake the facility.[9][10] On 7 January, TASS reported that Collective Security Treaty Organization troops had occupied the airport and restored order.[11][better source needed]

In May 2022, a proposal was made to Deputy Prime Minister Roman Sklyar by a group of deputies from the People's Party of Kazakhstan to name the airport after Kazakh Soviet communist politician Dinmukhamed Kunaev.[12]

To accommodate new terminal construction, the historic VIP terminal was dismantled in late 2022 with plans to reconstruct it 420 m (1,380 ft) away.[13][14]

Terminals

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Terminal 1

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The main terminal of Almaty International Airport, originally built in 1973 at 2 Mailina Street, was designed by architects V. P. Ishchenko, O. N. Naumova, Y. G. Litvinenko, and Y. I. Sharapov, with engineering contributions from K. Nurmakova and Z. Sukhanova. Recognized as a historical monument in 1979, it served as a significant architectural and operational hub until its destruction by fire on the night of 9–10 July 1999. The fire, which lasted over seven hours, severely damaged key areas, including the restaurant, waiting room, and duty-free shop, rendering the building unusable. It was subsequently delisted as a historical monument in 2010.

The current Terminal 1 of Almaty International Airport was opened on 29 December 2003.[15] Its construction began in 2000, following the fire, and was completed at a cost of $52.3 million. Designed by M. Montakhaev, the new terminal showcases a dynamic roofline complemented by architectural elements such as large lanterns resembling faceted diamonds encased in stained-glass frames. It was designed with a focus on visual appeal from both ground level and aerial perspectives. In December 2012, an additional building dedicated to domestic flights was commissioned, further enhancing the airport's capacity. The pavilion’s first floor is designated for arrivals of local airlines, while the second floor serves as a storage area for domestic flights.

VIP Terminal

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The airport’s business terminal, located at 1A Mailina Street, was originally constructed in 1947 by architects B. Zavarzin and G. Elkin, with input from T. Basenov. Rebuilt in 1957 by architect Kapanov, it incorporated national Kazakh architectural elements, giving it a distinctive oriental aesthetic. The building was restored in 1975 by artist V. Senchenko and underwent further major restoration in 2007 while preserving its historical façade. Recognized as a historical and architectural monument in 1979, it was protected by state law. Despite an attempt in 2018 to delist the building from the historical monument registry, public outcry thwarted the plans. However, the terminal was ultimately demolished in October 2022 to make way for a new terminal. A replica of the building is currently being constructed 400 meters southeast of its original location and will serve government delegations.

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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The following airlines offer year-round and seasonal scheduled flights to and from Almaty:

AirlinesDestinations
Aeroflot Moscow–Sheremetyevo[16]
Air Arabia Sharjah
AirAsia X Kuala Lumpur–International[17]
Air Astana[18] Abu Dhabi,[19] Antalya, Aqtau, Aqtöbe, Astana, Atyrau, Baku, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Beijing–Capital,[20] Bishkek, Delhi, Dubai–International, Dushanbe, Frankfurt (begins 1 June 2025),[21] Istanbul, Jeddah,[22] London–Heathrow,[23] Malè, Medina,[24] Oral, Öskemen, Phuket,[25] Phu Quoc,[26] Qyzylorda, Seoul–Incheon, Şymkent, Tashkent, Tbilisi
Air Cairo Seasonal charter: Sharm El Sheikh
AJet Ankara[27]
Asiana Airlines Seoul–Incheon
Azerbaijan Airlines Baku
Azimuth Mineralnye Vody, Sochi[28]
Centrum Air Tashkent (begins 30 March 2025)[29]
China Southern Airlines Beijing–Daxing,[30] Ürümqi,[31] Xi'an[32]
FlyArystan Aqtau, Aqtöbe, Astana, Atyrau,[33] Kutaisi, Oral, Pavlodar, Qarağandy, Qostanai, Semei, Şymkent, Türkıstan[34]
flydubai Dubai–International
flynas Jeddah[35]
Hunnu Air Ulaanbaatar[36]
IndiGo Delhi[37]
Jazeera Airways Kuwait City[38]
Lufthansa Frankfurt
Neos Milan–Malpensa[39]
Pegasus Airlines Antalya, Istanbul–Sabiha Gökçen
Red Sea Airlines Seasonal Charter: Sharm El Sheikh
Qatar Airways Doha[40]
Qazaq Air Astana, Kökşetau, Şymkent
Red Wings Airlines Kazan, Yekaterinburg
Rossiya Airlines Krasnoyarsk, Saint Petersburg[41]
S7 Airlines Novosibirsk[42]
SalamAir Seasonal: Muscat[43]
SCAT Airlines[44] Aqtau, Aqtöbe, Astana, Atyrau, Jeddah, Jezqazğan, Medina, Moscow–Vnukovo, Öskemen, Petropavl, Sanya,[45] Şymkent, Taraz
Seasonal charter: Goa–Dabolim,[46][47] Nha Trang, Pattaya, Phuket, Phu Quoc, Sharm El Sheikh
Somon Air Dushanbe[48]
Sunday Airlines Seasonal charter: Moscow–Vnukovo, Nha Trang, Phuket, Phu Quoc
Turkish Airlines Istanbul
Seasonal: Antalya
Uzbekistan Airways Nukus,[49] Tashkent
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi[50]
Yakutia Airlines Irkutsk

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Atlas Air[51] Amsterdam, Chongqing, Liège, Zaragoza, Zhengzhou
Qatar Cargo[52] Doha, Hong Kong
Silk Way West Airlines[53] Baku, Hong Kong
Turkish Cargo[54] Guangzhou, Istanbul, Macau, Shanghai–Pudong, Shenzhen

Statistics

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Annual traffic

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Annual passenger traffic at ALA airport. See Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic[55][56][non-primary source needed][57]
Year Passengers % change
2010 3,000,000  
2011 3,665,538   22.2%
2012 4,003,004   9.2%
2013 4,323,224   8%
2014 4,588,866   6%
2015 4,905,307   6.9%
2016 4,878,450   0.5%
2017 5,640,800   15.6%
2018 5,686,926   1%
2019 6,422,721   13%
2020 3,669,668   42.9%
2021 6,103,657   66.3%
2022 7,230,156   18.5%
2023 9,547,136   32.0%

Accidents and incidents

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Kazakh: Халықаралық Алматы Әуежайы, romanized: Halyqaralyq Almaty Äuejaiy; Russian: Международный аэропорт Алматы.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Almaty - Kazakhstan". world-airport-codes.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  2. ^ "AIP Kazakhstan". Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2016.
  3. ^ MarketScreener (16 February 2023). "Aéroport de Paris SA - 2022 Full-year results | MarketScreener". www.marketscreener.com. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  4. ^ "ОТЧЕТ О ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ АО «МЕЖДУНАРОДНЫЙ АЭРОПОРТ АЛМАТЫ» ПО ПРЕДОСТАВЛЕНИЮ РЕГУЛИРУЕМЫХ ВИДОВ УСЛУГ ЗА 2022 ГОД ПЕРЕД ПОТРЕБИТЕЛЯМИ И ИНЫМИ ЗАИНТЕРЕСОВАННЫМИ ЛИЦАМИ". 2022. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
  5. ^ "Almaty International Airport". Airport Technology. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Building the 'Silk Road in the Sky' via Kazakhstan". The Gazette of Central Asia. Satrapia. 16 September 2012.
  7. ^ Бурдин, Виктор (16 May 2017). "Почему "Эйр Астана" против нового терминала аэропорта Алматы".
  8. ^ "Аэродром международного аэропорта Алматы назван лучшим в СНГ". www.aex.ru (in Russian). Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  9. ^ Rodionov, Maxim; Trevelyan, Mark (5 January 2022). "Kazakh president seeks help from Russia-led security bloc". Reuters. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Kazakhstan president confirms takeover of Almaty airport | DW | 05.01.2022". Deutsche Welle. 5 January 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Peacekeepers take control over Almaty airport - Russian Defense Ministry". TASS. Moscow. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Аэропорту Алматы предложили присвоить имя Кунаева". 27 April 2022.
  13. ^ "Как разбирали VIP-терминал аэропорта Алматы". 28 February 2023.
  14. ^ "VIP-терминал аэропорта Алматы не успеют открыть летом". 23 August 2023.
  15. ^ "В международном аэропорту Алматы открылся новый пассажирский терминал". Караван (in Russian). 29 December 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2024.
  16. ^ Liu, Jim (25 December 2024). "Aeroflot Lists A350 Almaty Service in NS25". AeroRoutes. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  17. ^ "AirAsia X Schedules Kazakhstan mid-March 2024 Debut". AeroRoutes. 24 November 2023. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  18. ^ "Air Astana – Timetable". Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  19. ^ "Air Astana adds Abu Dhabi service in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
  20. ^ "Air Astana Resumes Beijing Service in Late-Nov 2022". AeroRoutes. 9 November 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
  21. ^ "Air Astana to Launch Direct Flight from Almaty to Frankfurt in June". Vlast.kz. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Air Astana Adds Jeddah Service From Oct 2023". AeroRoutes. 5 July 2023. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  23. ^ "UK to gain new route to largest Kazakh city and financial hub".
  24. ^ "Air Astana will launch flights from Almaty to Medina Service From Oct 2024". businesstraveller. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Air Astana Launches New Service to Phuket Thailand". 15 October 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  26. ^ "Air Astana to launch nonstop flights to Phu Quoc". businesstraveller. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
  27. ^ "AnadoluJet Adds Ankara – Kazakhstan Routes in NW22".
  28. ^ "Azimuth Schedules New Sochi – Central Asia Service in NW23". AeroRoutes. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  29. ^ "Centrum Air NS25 Preliminary Network Expansion". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 26 December 2024.
  30. ^ Nūrmağambetova, Janna (26 November 2023). "China's air carriers to increase flights to Kazakhstan". «QazAqparat» HAA. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  31. ^ "Mainland Chinese Carriers NS23 International / Regional Network – 23APR23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  32. ^ "China Southern Adds Xi'An – Almaty Service in 1Q23". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 15 December 2022.
  33. ^ Liu, Jim. "FlyArystan expands domestic network in July/August 2020". Routesonline. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  34. ^ "Kazakh Civil Aviation Committee to Launch First Flights to Country's Turkistan". AviationPros. 4 November 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  35. ^ "flynas Adds A330 Central Asia Service From Sep 2023". AeroRoutes. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  36. ^ "Hunnu Air Expands Almaty Service From May 2024". AeroRoutes. 8 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  37. ^ "INDIGO EXPANDS CENTRAL ASIA NETWORK FROM LATE-SEP 2023". Aeroroutes. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Jazeera Airways Launches First Ever Route Between Kazakhstan and Kuwait". Aviation Pros. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  39. ^ "Neos pronta a decollare da Milano Malpensa per il Kazakistan". 19 April 2022.
  40. ^ "Qatar Airways announces the launch of flights to Almaty in Kazakhstan". TravelDailyNews International. 24 September 2021.
  41. ^ "В Петербурге запустят прямые авиарейсы в крупнейший город Казахстана". Фонтанка.ру (in Russian). 4 April 2024. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  42. ^ "S7 Airlines May 2024 Novosibirsk – Kazakhstan Routes Addition". AeroRoutes. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
  43. ^ "SALAMAIR ADDS ALMATY / RIZE IN 3Q23". aeroroutes.com. 28 March 2023.
  44. ^ "SCAT Airlines – Timetable". Archived from the original on 6 September 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  45. ^ "SCAT Resumes Kazakhstan – Sanya Service From Sep 2023". AeroRoutes. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  46. ^ "First Charter flight from Kyrgyzstan lands at Dabolim Airport". Digital Goa. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  47. ^ "SCAT flight DV5212–Almaty (ALA) to Goa (GOI)". Flightradar24.
  48. ^ "Somon Air 1Q24 International Network Expansion". AeroRoutes. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  49. ^ "Uzbekistan Airways Adds Nukus – Almaty From June 2024". AeroRoutes. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  50. ^ "Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air plans to launch flights "Abu Dhabi-Nur-Sultan-Abu Dhabi"".
  51. ^ "Atlas Air Schedule". Atlas Air. Retrieved 22 December 2023.
  52. ^ Ltd, DVV Media International. "Qatar Airways Cargo adds another new freighter service". Air Cargo News. Archived from the original on 6 February 2019. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  53. ^ silkwaywest.com - Schedule retrieved 1 December 2021
  54. ^ Ltd. 2019, UBM (UK). "Turkish Cargo adds 7 destinations in Jan 2018". Routesonline. Retrieved 18 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  55. ^ Airport. "files/ARAL/2016" (PDF). kase.kz.
  56. ^ UAAA. "Министерства по инвестициям и развитию РК". facebook.com.
  57. ^ "Аэропорт Алматы в 2018г увеличил пассажиропоток на 1%". interfax.kz. Retrieved 18 February 2019.
  58. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Tupolev Tu-154B-2 CCCP-85355 Alma-Ata Airport (ALA)". aviation-safety.net. Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  59. ^ VOA News (13 March 2021). "Kazakhstan Military Plane Crashes; 4 Killed" [Kazakhstan Military Plane Crashes; 4 Killed]. Voice of America. Archived from the original on 14 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
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