Kazakhstan capital airport reports sluggish 1.3% passenger growth as fuel shift and cancellations weigh

Image: Astana Airport

During the first seven months of 2026, Astana Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (NQZ) handled 5.4 million passengers, posting a modest 1.3% year-over-year growth. Domestic traffic edged up by 2% to top 25,000 flights, while international movements rose 3% to 12,400.

Management attributed the deceleration to a mix of external and operational factors. Key headwinds included daytime runway closures for maintenance in April–May, surging jet fuel prices, and the cancellation of roughly 1,100 international flights driven by instability in the Middle East.

Conversely, NQZ achieved double-digit expansion across its cargo and non-aeronautical divisions. Cargo and mail throughput rose more than 20% to reach 8,900 metric tons, while non-aeronautical revenue jumped 24% to KZT 7.2 billion.

At the same time, the Kazakh capital’s airport continues to expand its flight program. In 2026, its route network added five new international destinations, with launches to Larnaca (Cyprus), Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), Guangzhou (China), Yerevan (Armenia), and Dalaman (Turkey). As a result, the total number of international routes increased from 42 to 47. Passengers also continue to have access to flights across 18 domestic destinations.

Despite operational gains in non-flight segments, NQZ’s financial profile remains under severe pressure. The airport recorded a net loss of KZT 6.9 billion against KZT 4.0 billion in total revenue for FY2025, bringing accumulated losses from prior periods to KZT 36 billion. Financial strain has been further exacerbated by a structural shift in the national fuel supply model. NQZ previously operated as a monopoly fuel vendor with integrated margins; however, state-owned KMG-Aero has now assumed primary fuel distribution across Kazakh airports.

To stabilize performance, the airport’s shareholder—the Astana City Administration (Akimat)—and executive leadership have launched a turnaround program. To offset lost fuel margins, the strategy focuses on tariff restructuring, operational efficiency enhancements, tech-driven cost reductions, and commercial service growth. Leadership expects these measures, combined with ongoing network expansion, to steer the enterprise back toward break-even status.