Qazaq Air suspends flights to Russia's Ekaterinburg for security reasons

Kazakhstan's national carrier, Qazaq Air, has announced the temporary suspension of its flights on the Astana-Ekaterinburg route due to security concerns. 

The suspension will be in effect from December 28, 2024, to January 27, 2025, as the airline conducts a reassessment of flight safety risks to Russia, Caliber.Az reports citing Kazakh media.

In a statement released by the airline, Qazaq Air emphasized that the decision was made to prioritize the safety of both passengers and crew. The airline explained that the suspension follows an ongoing risk evaluation of flights to Russia, in which Ekaterinburg did not meet the necessary safety criteria for continued operations.

However, Qazaq Air confirmed that its services to other Russian cities, including Omsk and Novosibirsk, will continue as planned. These routes have been deemed to meet the airline’s current safety standards. The carrier also indicated that it would revisit the situation and consider resuming flights to Ekaterinburg once a further risk assessment is completed.

On December 25, an Embraer aircraft operated by Azerbaijan Airlines en route from Baku to Grozny crashed near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Of the 62 passengers aboard—37 Azerbaijanis, 16 Russians, 6 Kazakh citizens, and 3 Kyrgyz citizens—38 people lost their lives. Twenty-nine passengers, including three children, survived the accident.

By Vafa Guliyeva