AIR ASTANA, the Kazakhstan flag carrier, is celebrating after once again achieving a Skytrax 4 Star rating and being named as the Best Airline in Central Asia and India at the 2013 World Airline Awards ceremony during the 50th Paris Airshow. Both awards were previously given to Air Astana at the 2012 event in the UK. In addition for 2013, Air Astana was presented with the Best Staff Service in Central Asia and India award.
“On behalf of over 4,000 dedicated Air Astana staff, I’m greatly honoured to receive the latest World Airline awards, which re-confirm our status as the leading carrier from Central Asia,” said Peter Foster, president of Air Astana.
The World Airline Awards are the primary benchmarking tool for Passenger Satisfaction levels of airlines throughout the world, delivering a unique survey format based on analysis of business and leisure travellers, across all cabin travel types (First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy Class and Economy class).
Air travellers were surveyed by telephone, questionnaires and online about their experiences with airlines on the ground and in the air over a 10-month period. The survey measured passenger satisfaction across a wide range of performance indicators of airline front-line product and service, including check-in, boarding, on-board seat comfort, cabin cleanliness, food, beverages, in-flight entertainment and staff service. The survey covered over 200 airlines, from the largest international airlines to smaller domestic carriers.
Air Astana also displayed its latest Embraer E-190 airliner on display in the static area at the air show. The aircraft being exhibited is the seventh to be delivered to the airline, with three of these being owned and four on lease. Air Astana received its first Embraer E190 in May 2011, with the fleet serving an expanding network of domestic and international services in Central Asia, Russia and the Caucasus.
In accordance with the tradition of naming owned aircraft after famous Kazakhstan women, the latest airliner is called Amina Umurzakova, in honour of the famous actress and winner of the Kazakhstan State Prize.
Air Astana currently operates a fleet of 26 aircraft comprising two Boeing 767-300, five Boeing 757-200, twelve Airbus A321/A320/A319 and seven Embraer E-190.