UAE-Kazakhstan flights: Flydubai cancels Almaty service after violent protests

Budget carrier flydubai has cancelled its flights to Kazakhstan’s capital Almaty after violent protests rocked the Central Asian country and the government declared a state of emergency in the capital.

The Dubai based carrier cancelled flights for the second consecutive day to Almaty on Thursday and said it’s monitoring the situation. However, flights to Nur-Sultan are operating as scheduled.

“Flydubai flights FZ 737/8 and FZ 1721/2 between Dubai and Almaty on January 6 has been cancelled due to the situation on the ground in Almaty in Kazakhstan. Flydubai flights FZ 1705/6 between Dubai and Nur-Sultan are currently operating to schedule. We continue to monitor the situation and we are assessing our flying schedule,” a flydubai spokesperson said in a statement to Khaleej Times on Thursday.

Flydubai flights FZ 1721/2 between Dubai International (DXB) and Almaty Airport (ALA) were cancelled on January 5.

Kuwaiti budget carrier Jazeera Airways also suspended flights to Almaty on Wednesday. “We will provide an update on our operations when we have further information,” a Jazeera Airways spokesperson said.

Kazakhstan president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday accepted the government's resignation as violent protests against the government continued due to a fuel price increase in the oil-rich country.

He said the situation was improving in protest-hit cities and towns after the state of emergency was declared.