OREANDA-NEWS. On 15 April 2008 was announced, that Kazkommertsbank and Air Astana signed an agreement, under which the processing center of Kazkommertsbank will handle all Internet payments in Kazakh tenge for flights of the national carrier.

Air Astana customers have the opportunity to make flight bookings as well as credit card payments from the comfort of their own home or office, at any time of day and night. To do this, one needs to apply through the Internet Booking Engine on Air Astana website (www.airastana.com), choose a flight and pay for the ticket by credit card. After confirmation, an electronic ticket is issued for eligible flights or alternatively a standard ticket may be issued in a travel agency.

Kazkommertsbank has been chosen as a Processing Center and a Clearing Bank for cashless payments for Air Astana flights online through the International Amadeus Airline Reservation System. Kazkommertsbank is the only Kazakh commercial bank capable of receiving and processing online transactions made by payment cards of any issuing bank via its authorization  ePay server (epay.kkb.kz).

Kazkommertsbank is also the only Kazakh bank that ensures security of online payments through its use of the most advanced technology used by Visa and MasterCard in virtual environment - the 3-D Secure (Verified by Visa) and the similar MasterCard SecureCode system. All confidential information (last name, given name,  card number, expiry date etc.) is to be entered by the buyer not on the website of the service supplier, but directly at the ePay server. Additional data security is provided by the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol.

This online service for Air Astana is part of the range of cashless payment services provided by Kazkommertsbank as part of its objective of meeting the international standards of Visa and MasterCard and of the American Express premium card product payment system, whose credit cards, GOLD and Platinum, have been exclusively issued in Kazakhstan by Kazkommertsbank since September 2007. Kazkommertsbank has licenses from these payment systems for all types of processing operations, so card payments can be made through its ePay center. Payment may also be made by debit (electronic) cards issued by Kazkommertsbank and by any other bank.

Note:  the Internet Booking Engine enables booking and purchase of air tickets through the website of the company, with payment by bank card. A user of the site will soon be able to select their own seats from graphical seat maps. In addition to booking flights, the website offers a selection of over 21,000 hotels worldwide, at guaranteed lowest prices as well as the ability to book hire cars. The Internet Booking Engine also enables one to select meal preferences on the flight.

This system significantly saves the customer’s trip planning time. The customer may be sure that the ticket or reservation is wholly secure both as a booking and as a payment.

The world class website contains a wide array of up-to-date information about the airline, its products, promotions, dynamic flight schedules, as well as travel information about the cities that Air Astana flies to. It features places to visit in Kazakhstan, visa information plus lots more.

Air Astana Company
Air Astana is a joint venture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and BAE Systems (www.baesystems.com) with the shares of participation being 51% and 49% respectively. Air Astana was registered in 2001,  and flights began in May, 2002. Since that time on, the Company has increased the number of the aircrafts from 3 to 18, provided more than 2000 job places,  and extended the network of flights, which currently includes 25 domestic and 21 international flights. The air company is a full member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the only air company in Kazakhstan, certified by European Air Safety Agency (EASA) as a company entitled to provide technical maintenance to airliners in compliance with JAR-145 requirements.