Vietnamese company halts plans to manage Kazakh airport
Tengrinews.kz - Vietnamese company Sovico Group is no longer considering taking over management of a Kazakh airport, according to Deputy Prime minister – Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin.
Context
In May, Zhumangarin told reporters that Sovico Group, which last year acquired the airline Qazaq Air (now Vietjet Qazaqstan), was exploring the possibility of acquiring one of Kazakhstan’s airports.
Later, Deputy Foreign Minister Alibek Bakayev clarified that it wasn’t a purchase, but rather that the Vietnamese investor might temporarily manage an airport to improve service quality. He mentioned that the facility in question could be located in the Kyzylorda region.
Has the investor changed its mind?
When asked by reporters in the Mazhilis whether Sovico Group would still manage the Kyzylorda airport, Zhumangarin responded:
“The investor operates a major airline and has very good connections. They are buying a large number of aircraft, some of which are destined for Kazakhstan. Naturally, they will need a base airport. I’ve spoken with him frequently—he previously considered the Aktobe airport but was more interested in the Turkestan airport, since, as far as I know, the Turkish partners' management term for that facility has ended. However, he has currently suspended these plans.”
Initially, Zhumangarin said there were no plans to sell any Kazakh airport but later added:
“Since the investor is currently focused on developing the airline, the next step may be either acquiring or managing an airport. In any case, if you own an airline, you need a base airport.”
He did not specify when a potential deal might take place.
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