Air Astana (KC, Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev) will begin flying nonstop between Almaty International and London Heathrow following fuel tank modifications to A321-200NX(LR)s that operate the route, the airline announced on September 25.
Starting on October 4, "the airline plans to resume non-stop flights on the Almaty to London route" without technical stops, the airline's media statement said. This is made possible "by installing additional fuel tanks on Airbus A321LR." The 4x weekly roundtrips currently operate via Aktau.
The nonstop flight will trim around 90 minutes off the existing service. However, the revised flying time of around nine and a half hours will make the route one of the longest in the world operated by the long-range A321neo type.
Air Astana operates twelve A321neo(LR)s, servicing 13 airports across its international network. All except two have operated continuously in recent months. EI-KGF (msn 10427) and EI-KGH (msn 10534) were withdrawn from service in mid-September for maintenance purposes. An Air Astana spokesperson confirmed to ch-aviation that EI-KGF was the first aircraft to have its fuel tank modified and that the airline plans to modify six aircraft all up to "allow direct service to London and other long range destinations."
Air Astana says the change is part of its long-term strategy to enhance operational efficiency. "It incorporates all necessary technical and safety aspects, providing passengers with more comfortable conditions for long-haul flights and improving the airline's operational performance," the statement said.
