Air Astana Takes Full Control of Almaty-Frankfurt Flights
Air Astana has taken full responsibility for flights between Almaty and Frankfurt, operating them independently of Lufthansa. This means Air Astana provides the aircraft, crew, and services for these flights, regardless of any Lufthansa codeshare agreements or marketing.
Air Astana and Lufthansa have a codeshare partnership, with Lufthansa flight numbers appearing on some Air Astana flights and vice versa. However, the flight is always operated by Air Astana if the flight number starts with 'KC'. Lufthansa occasionally operates its own flights on this route, but if these are suspended, Air Astana will continue to fly in its own right.
During the summer pause of 2025, when Lufthansa does not operate its own flights, Air Astana will maintain its own connections between Almaty and Frankfurt. This will also be the case if Lufthansa suspends its flights in the winter of 2025/26. Air Astana will remain the sole operator for flights with the 'KC' code on this route.
Lufthansa has announced the temporary suspension of direct flights from Frankfurt to Almaty and Astana from October 26, 2025, to March 29, 2026. Passengers with affected bookings will be contacted by Lufthansa for rebooking or refunds. This decision is due to the need to bypass Russian airspace, increased fuel consumption, and a shortage of available aircraft and spare parts. Air Astana, in cooperation with Lufthansa, has started a new direct flight from Almaty to Frankfurt since June 1, 2025, and will continue to operate these flights independently.
