Turkey is concerned about Kazakhstan’s ban on foreign charter flights, Interfax-Kazakhstan reports citing Vremya newspaper.
“Unfortunately, this law (banning charter flights) will have a serious effect both on Kazakhstan tourists and on Kazakhstan and Turkish tourist companies,” Culture and Information Attache of the Turkish Embassy in Kazakhstan Nilgun Kilicarslan said. “As far as I know, the law comes in effect on August 1, 2013 (according to Kazakhstan authorities, this will happen a week earlier). The plan is that all the issues will be solved on both sides by that time. The competent authorities of the two countries will meet to discuss this issue. We hope that we will find to a mutually beneficial solution,” she added.
Kazakhstan is introducing the ban on charter flights from Kazakhstan by foreign companies starting from July 21.
According to the newspaper, Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Omer Celik will render a visit to Astana in the nearest time. Meanwhile, Vremya writes, referring to its own sources, that “Turkey is allegedly preparing an ultimatum to Kazakhstan: either everyone is allowed to perform the flights or nobody will be”.
According to the newspaper, the ban will affect, first of all, Turkish airlines. This country has been for many year the most popular destination for Kazakhstan tourists. Kazakhstan airlines flying to Turkey include Air Astana, SCAT and several other small companies. Turkish airlines performing chartered flights from Kazakhstan to Turkey include Corendon, Atlas Jet, Anadolu Jet, Pegasus and Sky Airlines that has recently gone bankrupt.