OREANDA-NEWS. April 09, 2013. Air Astana, Kazakhstan’s award winning flag carrier, launched a new non-stop service from Atyrau, in western Kazakhstan, to Moscow.

The service operates three times a week (Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays) and takes 2hr 40min using an Embraer 190, configured in a 97 seat, two class configuration. The Inaugural flight was performed by the E190 named after Hiuaz Dospanova, after the first Kazakh female pilot.

The minimum cost of a round trip economy class ticket from Atyrau to Moscow, including all fees, is USD 316 and a business class ticket is USD1,840.

“The Russian Federation is a strategically important economic, industrial and political partner of Kazakhstan. Given these strong and long-standing relationships, it is a very significant step for Air Astana to connect Atyrau in oil rich western Kazakhstan to Moscow, Russia’s capital and centre for business, finance and transport links”, said Yerbol Ospanov, Air Astana’s Senior Vice President of government, regulatory affairs and security. “I’m confident that the convenience of the direct Atyrau to Moscow flight will be much appreciated by government officials, businessman and tourists”.

The launch of new flight provides passengers travelling from Europe with convenient connection via Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport to Western Kazakhstan, in addition to the existing flights from Amsterdam and Istanbul.

Atyrau – Moscow is the tenth service that is operated by Air Astana to the Russian Federation. Air Astana already operates its services to cities including Moscow, St Petersburg, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Omsk, Samara and Novosibirsk from its hubs in Astana, Almaty and Atyrau.

Embraer 190 named Hiuaz was delivered to Air Astana in May 2012. It was immediately named after Hiuaz Dospanova, first Kazakh female pilot and veteran of The Great Patriotic.