UK independent airline Astraeus is launching two new routes to Western Kazakhstan, primarily benefiting the growing oil and gas industries.
The new weekly services, starting on January 24, 2006, will link
London Gatwick with Aktau and Uralsk.  Services to Aktau will leave London
Gatwick
on Tuesday afternoon with a return flight landing at London Gatwick on
Wednesday morning, thus offering excellent connections via Gatwick
to a
range of destinations worldwide.  Services to Uralsk will leave London
Gatwick on Wednesday afternoon with the return flight landing on
Thursday
morning.

Air Astana, the national carrier of Kazakhstan, is pleased to have
concluded
an agreement with Astraeus for the operation of these services. 
“The new
flights from London to Uralsk and Aktau will improve access to Western
Kazakhstan and are consistent with Air Astana’s long-term plans to
develop more international services into the region,” said Peter Foster, Air Astana’s Chief Executive.
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