LONDON: Air Astana JSC, Central Asia’s leading airline group, reported robust financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2025, driven by sustained revenue growth, disciplined cost management, and expanding passenger demand. The Group, which includes low-cost subsidiary FlyArystan, posted a 24.1% year-on-year increase in EBITDAR to USD 157.0 million and a 131.9% rise in profit after tax (PAT) to USD 10.7 million for H1.
Total revenue and other income rose 12.1% to USD 658.2 million, while EBITDAR margin improved by 2.3 percentage points to 23.9%. Passenger traffic climbed 11.6% to 4.5 million, supported by a 17.8% increase in available seat kilometers (ASK) and a stable load factor of 81.7%.
In Q2 alone, revenue grew 13.5% to USD 365.8 million, with EBITDAR up 17.2% to USD 97.1 million. Despite geopolitical headwinds and currency depreciation, the Group maintained cost efficiency, with cost per available seat kilometer (CASK) down 6.5% to USD 5.87¢.
CEO Peter Foster attributed the performance to strategic capacity allocation, efficiency measures, and growing demand from key Asian markets. “Our central location and agile approach continue to deliver margin optimization and resilience,” Foster said. He highlighted the recent codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines and the Group’s simplified fleet structure as key enablers of operational strength.
Air Astana’s fleet expanded to 61 aircraft in H1, with plans to reach 63 by year-end and 84 by 2029. The Group launched 20 new routes in H1 and remains confident in its summer outlook, maintaining guidance for mid-to-high 20s EBITDAR margins and a liquidity ratio above 25%.
The company will present its medium-term strategy at its Capital Markets Day in September 2025.