OREANDA-NEWS. November 9, 2010. Air Astana started serving the United Arab Emirates with flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the country instead of Dubai. The flights to Abu Dhabi will be operated on daily basis from Almaty and four times a week from Astana by Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft at the same times previously announced for departures to and from Dubai. The expected travel time from Abu Dhabi Airport to the center of Dubai by ground transport vehicle is just 1 hour.

The change of operating airport in UAE has happened for reasons beyond the airline’s control due to restrictions imposed by Civil Aviation authorities of Dubai. In the interests of its passengers the National Carrier will do its best to make the transfer of flights from Dubai to Abu Dhabi as comfortable as possible. Air Astana has made arrangements for its passengers already booked to Dubai and will provide transportation between Abu Dhabi and the city center of Dubai as well as the airport of Dubai, and will be assisting transit passengers to make their connections to their final destinations.

Passengers already ticketed on flights to Dubai do not need to make any arrangements with regard to their tickets however are advised to check the details of transportation and other arrangements from our website www.airastana.com or our Call Centres plus7 (727) 244 44 77 in Almaty or plus7 (7172) 58 44 77 in Astana and in UAE on plus971 4 3166572/573.

Ibrahim Canliel, VP S&M Air Astana: "Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) offers easy access to the whole of the UAE. Excellent, high-speed roads connect with Abu Dhabi City in 30 minutes, Jebel Ali free port in 45 minutes and central Dubai in an hour. The northern emirates, Al Ain, Al Fujeirah and the southern gas and oil fields are also accessible without having to negotiate the congested routes through Dubai. If you are travelling beyond UAE, Abu Dhabi Airport has easy air access to major destinations in every continent in the world.  Abu Dhabi is unquestionably one of the world’s up-and-coming destinations for business and leisure travelers alike. It is the booming capital city of UAE, a growing diplomatic centre and the hub for the oil & gas and Islamic Finance industries".  

The airport of Abu Dhabi serves 39 international airlines offering connections to over 120 destinations. The airport, designed to serve 12 million passengers per year and expected to extend to 20 million passengers by 2015, welcomed 9.7 million passengers in 2009 and is one of the fastest growing airports in the Middle East.  The structure of the airport allows for a very efficient boarding and disembarkation procedures whereby passengers can complete procedures much quicker. The Abu Dhabi Airport offers a wide range of facilities for its passengers such as duty free shops, transit hotel, shower facilities, free Wi-Fi and a range of entertainment to enjoy the time before boarding or in transit.