Air Astana will eliminate the technical stop on its flights between Almaty and London Heathrow, following modifications made to its Airbus A321LR narrowbodies.
The Kazakh national carrier has installed additional fuel tanks on its A321LRs, allowing it to operate nonstop to London, which, at around 9h 35min, will be one of the world’s longest narrowbody flights.
Flights are currently operated with a technical stop in the far western Kazakh city of Aktau. This came after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, which forced the carrier to avoid flying near Ukrainian airspace.
The route had previously been operated with Boeing 757s, which are now retired, and 767-300s before the introduction of the A321LR.
The new nonstop service will begin on 4 October, says Air Astana. It will operate four times weekly.
“This modernisation is a key component of Air Astana’s long-term strategy to enhance operational efficiency,” says the airline. ”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.”