President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has held talks with Peter Foster, CEO of Air Astana, to discuss the future of the country’s civil aviation sector - with direct flights to the United States high on the agenda.

During the meeting, the president praised Foster’s leadership, noting that Air Astana has grown into one of Eurasia’s leading carriers under his stewardship, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

The airline’s expansion strategy, fleet modernization, and international positioning were key topics of discussion.

A major focus was the planned launch of direct air service between Kazakhstan and the U.S., a long-anticipated move expected to significantly boost connectivity, trade, and tourism. The talks also covered the acquisition of long-haul aircraft, including new Boeing 787 Dreamliners, which are set to make nonstop transcontinental flights possible.

Concluding the meeting, President Tokayev underscored the need to further enhance the competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s aviation industry, emphasizing fleet renewal, route expansion, and service quality as strategic priorities.