BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. On 25 September 2026, a final briefing was held during which experts from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented the final oral findings of the International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) conducted in Kazakhstan from 21 to 25 September, the Civil Aviation Committee (CAA) of Kazakhstan said.
The assessment was conducted to determine whether Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities comply with applicable International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices, according to the statement.
As part of the assessment, the FAA team reviewed Kazakhstan’s aviation legislation, subordinate regulatory acts and the authorities’ ability to effectively exercise safety oversight in line with ICAO requirements.
On September 24, the FAA experts also conducted an on-site visit to Air Astana in Astana, which has applied to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for economic authority to operate flights to the United States.
The CAA described the visit as a positive and mutually beneficial experience for all organizations involved.
“Following the assessment, the U.S. experts noted the substantial work carried out by Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities. Speaking about the preliminary findings, they highlighted strong results in a number of areas, noting that these results demonstrate Kazakhstan’s strong political will and significant progress in aviation safety oversight,” the CAA said.
The FAA will next issue an official notification to Kazakhstan’s aviation authorities, followed by final consultations to discuss any required corrective measures, according to the CAA.
Upon completion of this process, the FAA will determine Kazakhstan’s Category 1 status.
Achieving Category 1 status would create the regulatory conditions required for Kazakhstan’s airlines to complete the procedures necessary to launch direct air services between Kazakhstan and the United States.
