Vietnamese low-cost carrier Vietjet has announced new direct flights from Almaty to Hanoi and Prague, expanding Kazakhstan’s international air links and marking the airline’s entry into the European Union market. The routes will begin operating on October 10 and will run twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, using Airbus A330 aircraft. The launch is expected to strengthen travel connections between Kazakhstan, Southeast Asia and Europe, while also giving passengers access to Vietjet’s wider network of more than 186 destinations in 20 countries and territories.
The Almaty-Hanoi service will depart Almaty at 8:10 a.m. local time and arrive in Hanoi at 4:20 p.m. the same day. Return flights from Hanoi will leave at 8:25 a.m. and land in Almaty at 12:50 p.m. local time. The Almaty-Prague route will depart Almaty at 2:20 p.m. local time and arrive in Prague at 6:55 p.m. the same day. Return flights from Prague will depart at 8:30 p.m. and arrive in Almaty at 7:10 a.m. the following day. Tickets are available through Vietjet’s official website, mobile application and authorized sales agencies worldwide.
Vietjet CEO Nguyen Thanh Son said the new routes are part of the airline’s strategy to expand its global presence and reinforce links between Kazakhstan, Vietnam and Europe. He said the company aims to build bridges between fast-growing markets and make travel more accessible and convenient. He added that the new services are expected to support tourism, business cooperation and cultural exchange across the three countries.
In a separate development, direct flights between Izmir and Almaty are scheduled to begin on July 31 after negotiations between Kazakhstan’s Consulate General in Izmir and SunExpress. That route will operate twice a week through the end of October and is expected to improve travel access for tourists, students, business travelers and Kazakh citizens.
Kazakhstan is also deepening cooperation in aviation services with neighboring Azerbaijan. KazMunayGas-Aero and Azerbaijan Airlines have signed an agreement for aircraft refueling services at Shymkent International Airport. Beginning June 16, AZAL will operate regular passenger flights between Shymkent and Baku twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Under the agreement, KazMunayGas-Aero will provide refueling services in accordance with international safety and quality standards.
The partnership is intended to support Kazakhstan’s broader efforts to strengthen its transport and logistics sector, improve the competitiveness of its airports and attract more international airlines. Together, these developments point to a period of expanding air connectivity for Kazakhstan, with new links to Europe, Southeast Asia and the South Caucasus expected to improve mobility and support economic and cultural ties.
