Air Astana’s first Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner has begun factory flight testing at Boeing’s facility in Charleston, South Carolina, ahead of delivery and its planned entry into passenger service in 2027. Registered EI-KZA, the aircraft completed its first test flight on 1 October. Boeing is now completing certification procedures before handing it over to the Kazakhstan-based carrier.
The aircraft is the first of three 787-9s that Air Astana expects to introduce during 2027. The airline plans to receive the first aircraft in December, followed by the second in January 2027 and the third in August, after delays moved the initial September delivery schedule.
The aircraft are being acquired under a 2022 long-term lease agreement with Air Lease Corporation. They will gradually replace Air Astana’s Boeing 767-300ER fleet, supporting long-haul fleet renewal, lower operating complexity and international network growth.
Air Astana plans to deploy the 787-9s initially on shorter regional sectors, allowing pilots and engineers to build experience with the type before longer-haul operations begin. The programme also supports potential nonstop services between Kazakhstan and the United States in the second half of 2027, although routes, cabin configuration and a US destination have not been confirmed. Delivery and passenger service remain subject to completion of Boeing’s certification and handover procedures.