Kazakhstan, Luxembourg sign a memorandum on air cargo

The document allows for the triple increase in the number of weekly transit flights through Astana.

This week, the Astana International Airport has already welcomed the 77th flight of the Cargolux cargo airline. The arriving aircraft passed through the water arch in accordance with the traditions of the air industry. The Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan Marat Karabayev, the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Luxembourg Jean Asselborn, the Chairman of the Committee of Civil Aviation Talgat Lastayev and the Chairman of Board of JSC "International Airport Nursultan Nazarbayev" Yergazy Zholdasov, as well as Cargolux management who came to Kazakhstan on their first official visit took part in the ceremony.

During the event, the Ministers signed a memorandum on air communication between the two countries.

"Previously there were charter flights, now they have become regular. And if earlier the flights from Luxembourg were performed 7 times a week, now, on the basis of the signed memorandum, their number increases up to 21 times. This is a key agreement. After France and Finland, Luxembourg is the third country to have signed the fifth level of the "open skies" rules, M. Karabayev, said at the press briefing.

The agreement opens new opportunities for the aviation industry of Kazakhstan and its positioning as a transit hub between Europe and South-East Asia. "The attraction of new transit flights also provides additional opportunities for the growth of professional competencies of Kazakhstani aviators. In addition, these are new opportunities for entrepreneurs as well: cargoes that can find demand in the local market will be unloaded in Kazakhstan, and products to Europe and Southeast Asia will be loaded in Astana."

Cargolux made its first flight to Astana on May 1. Today the airline operates seven flights a week, linking Luxembourg with cities in China and Japan through the airport of Astana. In the future, it is planned to increase the frequency of regular cargo flights to 42 per week on both directions.

"Today we have signed this memorandum because we are going to increase the frequency of cargo flights that pass through the airport of the capital of Kazakhstan. In the future, we hope this will lead to an increase in cargo traffic through Astana airport as we connect Europe and Asia," says Richard Forson, President of Cargolux Airlines.

Cargolux Airlines International S.A. was founded in 1970 in Luxembourg. It is Europe's largest cargo carrier, operating 30 Boeing 747s and flying to more than 50 destinations around the world. The company employs more than 2.5 thousand people in 75 offices. Cargolux is a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). 

In accordance with the new master plan, Astana Airport is actively implementing a program to create a shopping and logistics hub.