News / Coyne forced to divert supply flights while Kazakhstan upgrades vital Uralsk runway

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The closure of Uralsk Airport in north-west Kazakhstan from 1 September 1 to mid-October to upgrade its runway will inconvenience suppliers to the large Karachaganak gas field, accessed from the nearby town of Aksai.

Almaty-based ATMA, which operates four An-12s and provides a scheduled service from Tbilisi on behalf of Coyne Airways, and Air Astana are Uralsk’s major users.

Wide-bodied operations to Uralsk were suspended in 2013 because of the poor condition of the runway. After taking back control ...