Press Release

(Joint Release)

August 22, 2024
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd.
Air Astana

Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; Group CEO: Mitsuko Tottori, hereinafter "JAL") and Air Astana (headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan; Group CEO: Peter Foster, hereinafter “KC”) are pleased to announce the signing of a codeshare agreement. This agreement will allow both airlines to place their respective codes on a new Almaty to Tokyo service scheduled to be launched by KC in spring of 2026, as well as on both companies’ domestic flights.

Kazakhstan boasts both the largest area and highest GDP per capita among Central Asian countries, and its economy is expected to continue to grow substantially in the coming years. In 2022, Japan and Kazakhstan welcomed the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Since its establishment in 2001, Air Astana Group has grown steadily and rapidly, holding a 45% international market share and a 67% domestic market share* in its home country. Through the codeshare partnership with KC, JAL will expand its network into Kazakhstan, located in the heart of Central Asia, which previously remained a white spot on JAL’s network map.

Air Astana Group CEO Peter Foster remarked, “Our collaboration with Japan Airlines is an exciting development that will enrich our international network and offer more travel options for our customers. We look forward to delivering a seamless travel experience for passengers between Kazakhstan and Japan.”

Japan Airlines Group CEO Mitsuko Tottori stated, “We are delighted to enter into cooperation with such a distinguished partner as Air Astana. We will contribute to further enhancement of over 30 years of diplomatic relationship between Japan and Kazakhstan, through developing passenger and cargo traffic.”

By offering better travel options between Japan and Kazakhstan, both companies aim to improve the travel experience of their guests and will serve to increase the flow of people and goods between the two countries.

Codeshare details (planned)**
Starting Period: Spring of 2026
Codeshared routes:
- Operated by KC: Almaty-Tokyo, Almaty-Astana/Atyrau
- Operated by JAL: Tokyo-Sapporo/Nagoya/Osaka/Fukuoka/Okinawa
* Аs of the end of 2023
** Details about routes and schedules are subject to change during the integration of both airlines' scheduling and ticketing systems.

Both Japan Airlines and Air Astana will continue to take on new challenges to improve their network, product, and service quality to elevate the experience of their guests.

About Japan Airlines
Japan Airlines (JAL), Japan’s first private aviation company, was established in 1951 and is a member of the oneworld Alliance. The airline operates a fleet of 227 aircraft (as of March 2024) and began renewing its international long-haul aircraft with the Airbus A350-1000 starting 2023 Winter Schedule. Together with other JAL Group and partner airlines, JAL offers an extensive domestic and international network that serves 384 airports across 66 countries/regions. The airline has received numerous accolades for its exceptional service, including being recognized as a certified 5-Star Airline by Skytrax and being awarded the prestigious "World Class" Airline title by APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association. The airline is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of flight safety and overall service quality, striving to be the most preferred airline by customers worldwide.
For details and to learn more, visit JAL's official website at https://www.jal.com/en/.

About Air Astana
Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions by revenue and fleet size. The Group operates a fleet of 55 aircraft split between Air Astana, its full-service airline that operated its inaugural flight in 2002, and FlyArystan, its low-cost airline established in 2019. The Group provides scheduled, point-to-point and transit, short-haul and long-haul air travel and cargo on domestic, regional and international routes across Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Far East, the Middle East, India and Europe. Air Astana was recognised twelve times in a row as the "Best Airline in Central Asia and CIS" at the Skytrax World Airline Awards and received a five-star rating in the major airline category by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX). The Group is listed on the Kazakhstan Stock Exchange, Astana International Exchange and London Stock Exchange.
For details and to learn more, visit Air Astana's official website at www.airastana.com