OREANDA-NEWS. September 05, 2012. Air Astana launches a twice weekly flight Astana – Beijing direct flight. Flights will operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays using a Boeing 757 configured with 16 business class seats and 150 economy class seats. The flight will depart from Astana at 15:25 and arrive in Beijing at 22:35 local time. The return departure from Beijing will depart at 23:45 and arrive in Astana at 04:00 local time, reported the press-centre of Air Astana.

Air Astana first launched Almaty to Beijing services in December 2002, with 500,000 passengers and 7.5 million tons of cargo being carried since that date. A 70% load factor being achieved on the route over the past 30 months. Air Astana started services from Astana to Urumqi in western China since November 2008.

“Air Astana is delighted to introduce this new direct flight between the capitals of Kazakhstan and People’s Republic of China, which will allow residents and visitors of both cities to save time and money in flying between Astana and Beijing. I’m confident that the flights will further stimulate business, commercial, political and cultural relations between the two countries”, said Yerdaulet Shamshiev, Air Astana’s Regional General Manager China and Mongolia. “Air Astana passengers on the new service can enjoy very high standards of service, which recently received a 4-star rating from Skytrax and was named Best Airline in Central Asia and India.”

Beijing attracts millions of tourists each year with its eclectic mix of new/old architecture, history and ancient culture that goes back thousands of years. Other attractions include the Great Wall of China, the famous Beijing Opera, numerous parks, pagodas and centres of education. China invented the book, porcelain, silk, the mirror, the umbrella, gunpowder, and is the home of Confucianism and feng shui.

The minimum cost of a round trip economy class ticket from Astana to Beijing, including all fees is USD 716.57 and a business class ticket is USD 2087.57. Astana – Beijing flight time is 5 hours and 10 minutes, and Beijing – Astana flight time is 6 hours and 15 minutes.

Tickets can be booked and purchased online at www.airastana.com or via our Call Centre at +7 (727) 244 44 77 or via Air Astana Ticket Offices in Kazakhstan and in travel agencies in Beijing.