Kazakh Flag Carrier Signs Agreement to Buy 30 Boeing 737 MAX Airplanes

Air Astana, the flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, has signed a letter of intent with Boeing to acquire thirty Boeing 737 MAX airplanes at the ongoing Dubai Airshow.

“Air Astana intends to order 30 Boeing 737 MAX 8 airplanes to serve as the backbone of its new low-cost airline FlyArystan, the Kazakh flag carrier and Boeing announced at the Dubai Airshow. The companies today signed a letter of intent for the 30 airplanes with a list price value of $3.6 billion,” Boeing said in a statement Tuesday.

Last week, the company said it was working towards Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification flights of its trouble-torn 737 Max aircraft, where pilots of the US aviation regulator will conduct flight (s) of the final updated software on board the aircraft.

The 737 MAX 8 is part of a family of airplanes that offer 130 to 230 seats and the ability to fly up to 3,850 nautical miles (7,130 kilometers).

“With improvements such as the CFM International LEAP-1B engine and Advanced Technology winglets, the 737 MAX provides operators a 14% improvement over today's most efficient single-aisle airplanes and extended range to open up new destinations,” the company claims.