A development plan
for Kazakhstan's main air gateway was presented in the country’s capital. The
Astana International Airport has started joint work with an investor from the
UAE in this regard. It bears noting that the airport’s operational management
has been entrusted to the Terminals Holding aviation company, which plans to
develop it into a multimodal hub. The investor intends to modernize the
infrastructure, undertake runway reconstruction, as well as double the capacity
of the cargo terminal and passenger traffic. It bears noting that the agreement
is currently planned for one year. During this period, the company will assess
the potential of the project and then consider the investment volume.
“The company has
experience in managing and developing airports in Central Asia and Africa. It
intends to cooperate with us by investing in the project. This matter will be
discussed in the next phase of our cooperation. Over the course of a year, they
will examine all investment areas. They will take the project into operational
management, with no mention of privatization,” Yergazy Zholdassov, Chairman of
the Astana International Airport, said.
“Regarding
developing the ariport, we have couple of services, which we are aiming, so
mainly attracting international carriers from abroad. Cargo facilities – we
need to look into it very deep, because there is a great potential. To connect
passengers from Europe to Asia, and the East Asia, and the West Asia, and the
GCC and beyond. So, all of our strategic points are to create Astana airport as
a hub. Astana airport has a big potential for creating a hub,” said Mohamed
Saif Alkheyli, Chairman of UAE’s Terminals Holding.