BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jun. 2
By Nargiz Sadikhova - Trend:
Kazakhstan’s civil aviation industry became one of the most coronavirus-affected sectors of the economy; therefore, in order to reduce losses and bankruptcies of local airlines and airports, Kazakh government adopted a package of state support measures for tax breaks, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Industry and Infrastructural Development Beibut Atamkulov said, Trend reports with reference to the ministry.
The number of passengers transported by air amounted to 1.7 million passengers over first four months of 2020, which is 23 percent less than during the same period last year (2.2 million passengers), while 3.3 million passengers were served, and the number of transit air passengers amounted to 120,000 people.
“Following improvements with the coronavirus situation, the ministry will work to resume and launch flights on new international air routes,” Atamkulov said.
Atamkulov noted that in order to develop Kazakh air transport infrastructure, launch of a new international airport in Turkestan city is planned this year.
“The reconstruction of the runway at the Ust-Kamenogorsk airport has begun, and the construction of a new airport terminal in Shymkent city and the reconstruction of the airport terminal of the Uralsk city will continue,” he added.
In his words, within the framework of local tourism development, the ministry will begin the reconstruction of two more runways of airports in Urdzhar and Usharal cities provided that funds are allocated.
In March 2020, in order to prevent coronavirus spread in Kazakhstan, the number of flights was reduced by 438 flights per week on international destinations on 97 routes, which makes up 99 percent of all international flights implemented.
Additionally, all domestic flights have been cancelled and no regular air services operated in the country over April 2020.
The first two cases of coronavirus infection were detected in Kazakhstan among those who arrived in Almaty city from Germany on March 13, 2020.
The total number of coronavirus cases confirmed in Kazakhstan since the virus was first confirmed in the country amounted to 10,858 cases. This includes 5,220 people who recovered from the coronavirus, and 38 patients who passed away.
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