Hong Kong and Kazakhstan come closer with visa free travel and new air connections

Free visa for Hong Kong passport holders to Kazakhstan will be followed by the launch of air services by Air Astana between Almaty and the former British colony.

HONG KONG- Since August 1st 2012, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) passport holders can enjoy a 14 day visa free visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazakh nationals can similarly spend 14 days in Hong Kong on a visa free basis. The visa free agreement between the HKSAR and Kazakhstan governments was signed in May 2012.

The agreement will be followed by the launch of direct services between both countries. Air Astana will start a twice weekly flights between Almaty and Hong Kong on August 28th, 2012. The service will be operated by a Boeing 757 configured with 16 business class and 150 economy class seats. The duration of the Hong Kong to Almaty flight is 7 hours 10 minutes, while Almaty to Hong Kong flight is 6 hours 10 minutes. Passengers arriving in Hong Kong will enjoy convenient connections on partner airlines to southern China and south east Asia.  For passengers arriving in Almaty, Air Astana offers a rapidly expanding network of international services to Russia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as a host of domestic destinations.

"I’m confident that the combination of visa free travel and the launch of new direct services from Almaty to Hong Kong next month will result in major business and leisure traffic growth between these two exciting destinations," said Ibrahim Canliel, Air Astana Vice President Marketing and Sales. “Passengers travelling between sophisticated, mountain-related Almaty and energised urban Hong Kong will also enjoy Skytrax 4-star award winning service.”

Air Astana currently operates a network of more than 50 international and domestic services from its hubs in Almaty, Astana and Atyrau. Air Astana flies an all western fleet comprising of two Boeing 767s, five Boeing 757s, ten Airbus A320s, six Embraer 190s and three Fokker 50s.