As you may remember, the airline launched its operations in 2002 with three leased 1 year aged Boeing 737’s: two of them were 700th and one — 800th. Later airline’s fleet started to growth. Typically, it’s aircraft did not stay in the fleet for more than 7 years, but there were some exceptions, we will write about them below. Each aircraft, like a person, has its own destiny. Someone was destined to leave early, someone was given a second life, but in general it is very interesting to watch the fate of the aircraft, on which you may even have once flown. So, let us tell this in order…
As we note earliner, the airline’s starting fleet consisted of three Boeing 737’s. All of them were withdrawn from the airline’s fleet in 2007.
P4-BAS is one of the airline’s first aircrafts and was the only Boeing 737-800 in the Air Astana fleet. It’s began his journey in the American Sun Country Airlines, but soon, a year later, it was leased to Air Astana. Aircraft manufactured in 2001. Currently it is still flying, but in the colors of the polish Enter Air.
P4-CAS had unlucky end. After Air Astana, it flew in Air Berlin and then in the American Sun Country Airlines, and then in 2019 it was scrapped. It was one of two Boeing 737-700s in the airline’s fleet.
The second Boeing 737-700, P4-DAS, is currently sucessfully flying in Boliviana de Aviacion in Bolivia. Prior to that, it managed to fly for Air Berlin and Yakutia Airlines.
In 2003, in addition to 737s, the airline launched the Boeing 757s. Airline operated all of them until 2020.
P4-EAS was the first Boeing 757-200 in the airline’s fleet. It made first flight in 1998 and joined the airline in 2003. This airframe currently stored in Spanish Lleida (ILD). P4-FAS has a similar story.
The P4-GAS had a sad story — after operating the aircraft from 2004 to 2020, it was returned to the lessor and then scrapped out.
P4-MAS — previously owned by China Xinjiang Airlines and then China Southern Airlines. 1997 year built. It joined Air Astana’s fleet in 2006. Aircraft currently stored at Marana Airport (MZJ), Arizona, USA.
P4-KCU is the airline’s last, fifth, Boeing 757-200, manufactured in 1995 and it was most aged among the airline’s 757s. It is currently stored at Goodyear Airport (GYR), Arizona, USA.
At the same time, in 2004, Air Astana began adding Fokker 50 turboprops to its fleet as the airline needed a short-haul aircraft with small seating capacity. Fokkers flew mainly on domestic flights.
The P4-HAS is the first turboprop aircraft in the Air Astana fleet. It made it’s first flight in 1990. It was leased to Air Astana fleet in 2004. Prior to that, it flew in the Scandinavian SAS. In 2012, it was returned to the lessor. The plane is currently flying in Colombia. P4-IAS, P4-JAS, P4-KAS and P4-LAS have a similar fate.
P4-RAS was the last, sixth, Fokker in the Air Astana fleet. It flew for Air Astana for a very short time — from 2010 to 2012, and in 2013 transferred to Avior Airlines, where it ended his career. Now the aircraft is disassembled for spare parts in Venezuela.
Myanmar Yangon havalimanı uçak kazası. Aircraft crash airport. pic.twitter.com/3bhVhjeonW
— HavaSosyalMedya® (@HavaSosyalMedya) April 14, 2014
In 2006, the airline started operation aircrafts of an European manufacturer — Airbus. The first type of the concern was the Airbus A320.
P4-PAS was manufactured in 2004. Before it was leased by Air Astana it flew in the German Aero Flight, but due to its bankruptcy, in 2006 the aircraft found new owner — Air Astana. The aircraft successfully operated until 2013, when it was returned to the lessor. The next operator to start its operation was Golden Myanmar Airlines. On April 14, 2014, an incident occured to it — it collided with another Airbus A319 Maynmar Airways while taxiing. Nose of aircraft was damaged. The aircraft was written off and has been operating as a restaurant aircraft ever since.
P4-SAS — aircraft manufactured in 2003. It managed to fly in Hellas Jet, which later bankrupted. Then it flew in Volare Airlines. In 2006, Air Astana began to operate it. Having successfully flown until 2013, it was returned to the lessor. The aircraft is now operated by the Philippine Royal Air Philippines.
P4-TAS was first aircraft received directly from the factory. It was operated by airline until 2013. After, it was transferred to Aegean Airlines. Currently it flying in Pegasus Airlines.
P4-UAS — was also received from the factory in 2006. After flying off for 6 years, it was transferred to another operator — Small Planet Airlines. Now it is operated by the Bulgarian BH Balkan Holidays.
P4-VAS was delivered from the factory in 2007. In 2021, it was transferred to FlyArystan, where recently was flown. It was like a last man standing. Only few airframes in Air Astana have been flying for more than 7 years. This one flew 16 years! It was returned to the lessor on January 12, 2023. Since then, it has been in storage in Ljubljana (LJU).
P4-WAS was received new in 2008. Transferred to Aegean Airlines in 2014. At this time, it is due to enter into service in the Cypriot Airwaze.
P4-XAS — was received in the same 2008. On September 25, 2012, an incident happened to him. The plane sustained serious damage in tail strike accident during the landing at the Istanbul airport. There were no injuries among passengers and crew members. After a while, the aircraft was repaired, and it was successfully operated until 2014 when it was returned to lessor. Now the aircraft is awaiting the start of flights in the Cypriot Airwaze.
P4-YAS is the only Airbus A319 in the history of Air Astana. It was received from the factory in 2008. After 10 years of service, it was returned to the lessor. Now it flies in the Serbian Air Serbia.
In 2007, Air Astana received the first two Airbus A321s.
P4-NAS is the first classic Airbus A321 in the fleet. It flew for Air Astana from 2007 to 2019, but, unfortunately, in 2020 it was scrapped out.
P4-OAS is the second classic A321. It has a slightly different destiny compared to P4-NAS. The aircraft was given a second life. It now flies for the Maltese SmartLynx Airlines as a cargo version (PCF) painted into DHL colors.
In the same year, 2007, the first Boeing 767 wide-body aircraft were added into airline’s fleet. This made possible to provide passengers more comfort (compared to Boeing 757) conditions in long-haul flights. Both aircraft was previously owned by Dutch KLM.
The P4-KCA is the first Boeing 767-300 in the airline’s fleet. It was leased as 10 year aged in 2007. It was operated until 2014, until a new aircraft came to replace it. Now it flies in the Russian Azur Air. The same history has the second aircraft — P4-KCB.
In 2013, the first of three ordered Boeing 767-300s entered the fleet. By the way, it was the last passenger Boeing 767 aircraft built. It finalized the production of passenger Boeing 767s.
In 2011 Air Astana has started replacement of the aged Fokker 50’s by the Brazilian Embraer. The first of E190’s was received in 2011. The airline operated them until 2019, when the second generation E190s started to take their place, which are still in operation today.
P4-KCC is the first Embraer E190 in Air Astana. Currently it does not fly and stored. P4-KCD has the same story.
P4-KCE — flew like the rest of the first generation Embraers, until 2019, when it was returned to the lessor. Then, until March 2023, it flew in the Polish LOT. Currently it is stored in Poland.
The P4-KCF currently is in service in LOT Polish Airlines fleet as the KCE, but it flies.
P4-KCG — was named after Khiuaz Dospanova — a Soviet pilot of the Second World War. The aircraft is currently operated by Myanmar Airways International.
The P4-KCH that flew under Dina’s name is now out of service and in storage, finding a new owner.
But P4-KCI and P4-KCK now fly in the Dominican Sky High with the same registrations(!).
As you may know, there was an aviation accident with the P4-KCJ, after which the aircraft was examined and then written off. Until February 2021 it was in storage, after which it was scrapped.
That’s all… for now.