Air Astana Group, Central Asia and the Caucasus’ leading airline by revenue and fleet size, has joined forces with Neos, Italy’s second-largest airline, in a strategic partnership.
This partnership will involve codesharing, collaboration on servicing Boeing aircraft, and sharing technical and operational knowledge.
Key Elements of Partnership
The agreement encompasses several key areas of cooperation:
- Codesharing: Air Astana will place its marketing code on Neos-operated flights between Milan Malpensa (MXP) and Almaty (ALA), offering increased flight options in both directions.
- Boeing Expertise: Starting in 2025, when Air Astana takes delivery of three Boeing 787-900 aircraft, the airlines will collaborate on servicing these planes. This may include sharing technical and operational knowledge gained from Neos’ existing experience and Air Astana’s upcoming deployment.
- Potential Joint Venture: Subject to regulatory and governmental approvals, the airlines will explore the possibility of establishing a joint venture for routes connecting Italy and Kazakhstan.
Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana Group, gave comment on the new agreement. “We are delighted to enter a strategic partnership with Neos. We look forward to exploring initiatives together so we can better serve our mutual customers.”
“This agreement will provide Air Astana passengers with more flexibility, convenience and choice of flights between Kazakhstan and Italy.”
“The first interline agreement was signed by Air Astana in 2005. Since then, the Group has steadily grown ties with other international carriers in Asia and Europe.”
“We endeavour to offer our customers even more choices for travelling around the world.”
About Air Astana Group
Air Astana Group is the largest airline group in Central Asia and the Caucasus regions. This is calculated both by revenue and fleet size. It is the flag carrier of Kazakhstan, meaning it’s the main airline of the country.
The government of Kazakhstan owns Samruk Kazyna, which in turn is the parent company of Air Astana Group. Air Astana launched in October 2001 and took off for its first commercial flights on May 15, 2002.
Here are some key facts about Air Astana Group:
- They have a market share of 69% and 40% on domestic and intra-regional routes from Kazakhstan, respectively.
- Their main hub is in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
- They have interline agreements with many other airlines, including Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways.
- The new partnership with Neos will encompass several areas of cooperation. It involves a codeshare agreement, service collaboration on Boeing aircraft, and technical and operational insights sharing.
About Neos
Italy’s Neos airline has its headquarters in Somma Lombardo, Lombardy. It’s a subsidiary of Alpitour S.p.A., a tourism company. Here’s a quick rundown on Neos:
- Focuses on leisure travel: They primarily fly to popular vacation destinations around the world.
- Destinations: Neos offers scheduled domestic, European and intercontinental flights to over 73 destinations. This includes popular holiday spots in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia.
- Fleet: Their fleet consists of Boeing 737 Next Generation, 737 MAX, and modern Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
- Hubs: Neos operates flights from several hubs in Italy, including Milan Malpensa (their main hub), Verona, Bologna, and Rome.
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