Air Astana’s inaugural flight carrying tourists from Kazakhstan arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (Katunayake) on the evening of December 25, marking the launch of direct winter-season services to Sri Lanka.
The flight, KC-167, departed from Almaty International Airport and landed at Katunayake at 4.10 p.m. with 182 passengers and eight crew members on board.
According to airport authorities, Air Astana will operate direct flights from Almaty to Katunayake twice a week—on Mondays and Thursdays—catering to European winter travel demand. The service is scheduled to continue until March 31, 2026.
The new route is expected to boost tourist arrivals from Kazakhstan and strengthen Sri Lanka’s connectivity with Central Asia during the peak travel season.
