ASTANA – Central Asia’s aviation sector is being reshaped by global disruptions, as conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine force airlines to reroute traffic and drive a sharp increase in flights over the region, according to Rizwan Siddiqui, country manager for Central Asia at the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
Central Asia’s aviation sector is being reshaped by global disruptions. Photo credit: IATA “Just to give you an overview, before these geopolitical conflicts, we were talking about 600 to 800 flights overflying Central Asian skies, which has now doubled. It is now going to 1200 to 1500 flights per day,” he said.
Rizwan Siddiqui, country manager for Central Asia at the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Photo credit: The Astana Times/ Aida Dosbergenova Astana hosted the Central Asia Aviation Summit on April 15, bringing together more than 200 industry experts to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.
The shift comes amid broader pressures on the aviation industry, including volatile jet fuel prices, supply chain disruptions and aircraft delivery delays, all of which are increasing operating costs for airlines globally. Siddiqui stressed that jet fuel prices have become highly volatile in recent weeks, while availability remains a concern in some markets, adding pressure on carriers in both Europe and Asia.
“Especially if you look at the last 45 days, the jet fuel prices are on a roller coaster. Every day they are changing, making a big impact on the airlines. And it is not only about the price. The availability of jet fuel is a major issue right now. Especially the airlines in Asia and Europe are under big pressure.
All of them are trying to optimize the schedule,” Siddiqui said. Fuel alone, which historically accounted for 13–15% of operating costs, has in some cases climbed to nearly 30%, he added. Despite these pressures, demand for air travel remains resilient. Passenger traffic, measured in revenue passenger kilometers, continues to grow, while cargo demand is also rising steadily.
According to the latest data from the IATA, total demand was up 6.1% compared to February 2025. In its Long‑Term Demand Projections (LTDP) for air travel released in March, the organization forecasts global air passenger demand to more than double by 2050. Supply chain disruptions also continue to limit the industry’s ability to expand.
“We are talking about an almost 15,000 plus shortfall in the aircraft deliveries that are delayed,” Siddiqui said, warning that the shortfall is already having a significant impact on airline performance. Against this backdrop, Central Asia and Kazakhstan in particular are emerging as both a transit corridor and a growing aviation market.