The first direct flight from Chongqing to Almaty was launched today, marking the first regular air route connecting the Chinese megacity with Central Asia, Qazinform News Agency reports. An official opening ceremony for the international route Almaty – Chongqing - Almaty was held in Chongqing.
The new route complements FlyArystan’s existing routes to Urumqi, Yining (Ghulja) and Xi’an. Speaking at the ceremony, FlyArystan President Johan Eidhagen said the launch of the route marked an important step in strengthening bilateral ties. Eidhagen emphasized that today’s first flight is more than just the opening of a new air connection.
"It is a new bridge between Chongqing and Kazakhstan, bringing our people, businesses and cultures closer together while creating new opportunities for cooperation between Western China and Central Asia,” he noted He added that the new flight would provide travelers from Chongqing and across Western China with a great opportunity to discover Almaty and Kazakhstan.
At the same time, tourists from Kazakhstan would gain convenient access to Chongqing and the wider Western China region. According to FlyArystan Vice President of Commercial Operations Matteo Cecconi, flights will operate twice a week aboard modern Airbus A320ceo and Airbus A320neo aircraft with a capacity of 180-188 seats.
The schedule offers convenient morning departures from Chongqing on Thursdays and Sundays, as well as evening departures from Almaty on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Cecconi also outlined the airline's plans to further expand its destination network in China during the winter season.
“Starting from the upcoming winter season, we will further expand our presence in China by launching a new direct service between Astana and Urumqi. This route will improve connectivity between the capital of Kazakhstan and Xinjiang,” he concluded. The flight between Almaty and Chongqing takes approximately five hours.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Switzerland is considering the possibility of launching direct regular flights to Kazakhstan.