Hello Josh! Thank you for your review! The spouse of Air Astana's president Tatyana Foster posted an Instagram story about your video and said that it was great and I agree with her! You are one of the most often flying bloggers with our airline, maybe only David @simplyaviation has flown more than you. Air Astana shouldn't leave a comment under this video and there are two main reasons: firstly, because you are a self funded blogger and secondly, this review contains information about another airline and compares to Air Astana, that brand according to your opinion was weaker. But as an unofficial fanclub of Air Astana we are free of restrictions, so we can confirm that Air Astana has a strong branding strategy. Appreciate, Josh! Hopefully, we'll get a response from you.
Hello from Kazakhstan Josh. We are very proud that Air Astana was your favourite airline. We adore to watch your travel experience, keep going my friend 🇰🇿🇰🇿🇰🇿
Wow Josh, I didn't know Air Astana did 91 destinations... (ex-Cathay CEO) Peter Foster has done a great job. Blew me away when you said "best ever" --- thanks to your recommendation I spent 45 mins looking at AA's website! Will definitely try them out --- May start an office in Shymkent, but will have a good look at Astana also!
Very interesting trips! I'm a bit surprised that in these modern times, the train in Kazakhstan didn't have any sort of air conditioning in the first class car, although there WAS a nice private shower. Fun fact - Almaty (then Alma-Ata) was the only destination for supersonic Tupolev TU-144 regularly-scheduled passenger services from Moscow between 1977 and 1978. I wonder if that is the original terminal from way back then?? Definitely time for a new one!
There is air conditioning in those trains, at least in the first class. I've travelled the exact same route last summer and can confirm this. Maybe the ac was broken on his trip idk.
I’m newly subscribed to your channel, although I’ve watched a few of your videos before - recommended by a number of Avgeeks I already follow. Congratulations on your recent award - as I get to see more of your videos, I understand why your channel has almost 700,000 subscribers. Great job on giving us a very varied experience of some of the best and some of the less desirable travel experiences and I appreciate your honest reviews - keep up the great work of making me realize I haven’t even scratched the surface of my own travels around the world 🙏
00:00 highlights. 00:20 introduction. 00:55 journey through Kazakhstan begins. 01:45 the train review. 02:55 journey entertainment, positive and negative sides. 06:38 short stopover in Almaty. 07:17 Almaty airport. 07:48 Airastana. Boarding. 09:32 take-off. 10:20 catering. 11:23 flat bed business class seat option. 12:30 after landing at Tbilisi. 13:57 Buta airways boarding. 15:29 takeoff from Tbilisi, quick catering and landing at Baku. 16:40 hotel accommodation. 17:30 short journey review.
I live now in Almaty and regularly fly Air Astana in C, mostly short haul and it's amazing. Tried ALA-IST and was blown away , 10000x better than TK. Wish that they were part of Star Alliance
The more I see videos about Kazakhstan, the more eager I am to visit. I'm also eager to try Air Astana. Can't help it, but that business class flight attendant is absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you for the review of the train and plane. I love Kazakhstan, lived and flew there for 6 years, many of my friends are flying with Air Astana. Looking forward to your next review :)
Thanks to this video, I tried the throne seat on Air Astana A321neo LR and what an amazing experience it was. I flew from Astana to Aktau so it was about a 2-hour 40 minute flight. As Josh said, it's definitely one of the best airlines in the world, and it's also my personal favourite.
Sorry you didn't get so much time in Almaty. The scenery is amazing especially if you get up into the mountains. Also if you skip across the border to Kyrgyzstan, that's also beautiful especially lake Issyk Kul which is amazing.
Those "ugly-beautiful" buildings look very similar to older buildings that I encountered (visited and stayed in) in and around Helsinki when I was a child visiting my grandparents and other relatives in Finland!!🇫🇮 It brought back some great memories! 🥰❤️
On the Buta flight, it did seem like the male cabin crew member was actually making an effort to get the passengers to sit down after the landing. You can see him rushing through the aisle.
Josh, I can't watch all the videos on your channel, maybe you've already flown. But you still have the opportunity to fly a Soviet Yak-42 in Russia. I think there are several years left until they are written off from us.
As always, a fun video. Enjoyed your comments on the old Russian apartment blocks. Have seen many over the years and think they are now Retro Hip.Thanks.
That was interesting to see what kind of smell was it? 😆 I share the same love for the architecture 💕grow up in these old buildings as well. I guess they stick on you for life😁 Every time I traveled and seen them I was so exited, I thought I was the only one been weird 🤣
Philippines and japan again this year, not getting in a rut just love japan, like your fav airline japan is my fav country. as usual great video, you well deserved your award for certain.
Great video, Josh. Baku is on my bucket list. I had a similar experience on Ethiopian several years ago. Passengers got out of their seats and opened the overhead bins before the aircraft vacated the runway. The cabin crew let them be. They were not assertive at all.
Hi Josh, thanks for your honest reviews on here - always a pleasure to follow your adventures. I was in Kiev in 2019 and like you, I was deeply fascinated by the bombastic building style with columns and almost Roman antiquity pomp. Sound off when you're in Copenhagen, and we'll meet somewhere for a beer and a chat about life. Best regards Claus
I absolutely love Soviet architecture. My friends don't understand why I do, but I do. Too bad you didn't spend time in Tbilisi...a great city. Baku is nice, too. I'll be flying Air Astana several times in July when I visit Almaty and Astana and other neighboring cities. Glad to know you love it.
Second time of watching as l enjoyed the train and planes. Would love to know what was in the black dumplings you said were delicious. Watching your Channel's cathartic so thank you Josh.
How wonderful to get up on Saturday morning and se a new post from my favourite traveler. I, too, love the train and am saving up to travel across Canada on Via One! I wonder if the black dumplings have squid ink? High praise indeed from such an honest reviewer.
In addition to all the great flight reports so far, now I definitely have to give special praise to the first part of this video, wonderful train trip report ❤
Josh with another amazing review, Always love it ❤. Just small correction. You said the crew didn’t give a shit about asking the passengers to remain seated however I saw a male cabin crew approaching from the aft and asking them to be seated. I mean I saw it in the end of the video so tell me if I missed on something 😅
I love this video as it covers the best of both worlds; trains and planes. Kazakhstan is a hidden gem for any lover of the former Soviet Union republics. I'm a huge fan of these countries as I visited them all except Turkmenistan and loved them all. Josh mentioned a valid point about the temperature inside the sleeper train and I totally agree. I have no idea why they always switch on the heater to the maximum on board these night trains in Kazakhstan and Russia! About Air Astana, they're spectacular and I don't exaggerate if I say that they're one of the top airlines in the world but the terminal in Almaty is a real pain and totally contradicts the high quality of Air Astana. I really hope the new terminal will be ready soon. About Astana airport, oh yeah, it's lovely! Thanks for the great video about the beautiful country of Kazakhstan!
Won’t lie….. I’m immediately reminded of the horrible sickness/flu I am just getting over. This train ride reminds me of it and only cause it was day by day waiting to hopelessly get better. I appreciate your ability to be so positive about everything. I know when that camera is off you are a madman
What a great journey. Shame for the temperature issues on the train. The cabin looked very nice. And then first the best airline followed by the worst. Look forward to see more combined traveljourneys.
1st flight was splendid. You know you're in Asia when the wheels hit the ground and everyone jumps up all at the same time immediately ready to deplane well before arriving at the gate. lol
The service, flight attendnts, the airplane all looks amazing on that Air Astana flight. There is something for my AirSerbia to look up to, to improve. Good it's not all Borat style ahah
Hi Josh! Will your flight reviews change now that you’ve been awarded? I’m hoping they don’t, however I think you might feel more responsibility, as you get more recognition outside us (that is your crew!). Hoping that this weight is not too much on your shoulders. One should always have fun! Best regards,
Loved it Josh, covered 40 hours of train in just 6 min and the rest is about flying experience. So tempting now to do some sort of central Asian tour. BTW did Qatar offer any apologies yet or we still not using that airlines?
We appreciate you not getting proper sleep to show us all these great traveling experiences. Great mixed review travels with train and plane. But looks like you could use a new travel case watching you picking up at the luggage carousel. I have to Google Salmon Manti now. Safe travels.
That was a fun one. Clearly I need to try out Air Astana. Feeling much more motivated to try that than the train that only has a survivable cabin temperature for 4 hours a day 😂
