Airline Review: Air Astana Wows with World-Class Service

March 15, 2020

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Airline Review: Air Astana Wows with World-Class Service

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Summary: Nick Walton revisits one of his favourite airlines, Kazakhstan's Air Astana, on a quick business class hop between...	0no rated

Nick Walton revisits one of his favourite airlines, Kazakhstan’s Air Astana, on a quick business class hop between Kyiv in Ukraine and Almaty.

Background

While Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan continues to expand its global network, it’s within the countries of the CIS where is built its foundation for quality and dependability. The airline now acts as a vital gateway for the many nations that make up Central Asia and the former Soviet bloc, including Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

Check-in/The Lounge

I arrived at Kyiv’s Boryspil International Airport at 7.20 am and was greeted at counters 57-60 by long lines of waiting passengers but no check-in staff. Airport contractor check-in staff arrived to begin the check-in process at 7.45 am for my 9.40 am flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan.

READ: We Review Etihad’s 787 Dreamliner Business Class

I had already checked in using Air Astana’s user-friendly app so I simply dropped off my bags and made my way through security on my way to the main international airport lounge, which is used by several airlines includes Air Astana.

Subsequently, the lounge was very busy and it took a while to find a seat but once I did I managed to secure a couple of very appreciated cups of coffee and a few pre-flight snacks before making my way down to gate D6.

Boarding

Once the boarding process begins at the gate, passengers in business class made their way down the air bridge, only to be halted once again, this time for approx. 15 minutes, while crew readied the plane. Before long, I was finding my seat in the 16-seat business class cabin of the Airbus A320-200 aircraft.

I was welcomed by the usual charming Air Astana staff who offered a cheeky glass of champagne, newspapers, and very stylish amenity kits by Bric’s, an Italian luggage brand. The cabin was mostly empty, and crew were quick to offer me a seat further away from another passenger’s “little treasure”, who was screaming every thought that came into his head while she took endless Instagram photos of herself and her glass of champagne.

The Seat

The business class seat on the Air Astana A320, while the standard for the single-aisle aircraft, is comfortable and well-appointed. The cabin has a configuration of 2-2 across its 16 deep blue 21-inch wide seats, each of which featured a pitch of 37-inches, plenty of legroom, a thick, comfortable cushion, a universal AC powerpoint, and a broad armrest. With the seat beside me empty, the seat made for a more-than-comfortable offering for the four-hour fifty-minute flight between Kyiv and Almaty.

READ: 5 Steps to Protecting Yourself From COVID-19 When Travelling

Dining

The brunch service began with a well-made Bloody Mary, extra spicy and laced with Kazakh vodka. This was followed by cured salted salmon and air-dried turkey with dill marinated prawns; with a season salad on the side.

This was followed by the choice of chicken breast with spinach and hazelnut filling, sage risotto, char-grilled asparagus, and a mushroom cream sauce; beef and cabbage rolls with mint yogurt dressing and oven-dried beetroot; baked escolar fish with sweet and sour sauce, steamed basmati rice and green beans; and spinach ravioli with cream cheese sauce and basil cherry tomatoes.

The meal was served quickly and efficiently on one tray, the cured fish and prawns refreshing and elegant, and the chicken breast soul-soothing and perfectly proportioned. The crew offered dessert, which included rich chocolate fondant with whipped cream; baked lemon and passionfruit tart; and seasonal fresh fruit, as well as a selection of international cheeses, but it was a little early for me and I decided to get some rest instead.

Entertainment

As with previous Air Astana flights, the A320-200 business class cabin doesn’t have a built-in IFE system although the Air Astanacrew is quick to offer pre-loaded tablets and headphones. Like most passengers, I decided to turn to my own devices and noise-cancelling headphones (which were a life-saver thanks to the little terror in the first row) and managed to get a film in before I napped as we passed over Russia.

READ: Qatar Unveils New Singapore Premium Lounge

Service

This is always where Air Astana stands out; forget fancy entertainment systems packed with blockbusters, or lie-flat seats, if you want to be treated like a true VIP, you fly Air Astana. Consistently, on all 14 flights we’ve done with the airline over the years, the crew has been nothing short of excellent, always anticipating requests and ensuring personalized service to every passenger, and this quick eastward hop was no exception.