Vietjet Expands to Central Asia With New Kazakh Joint Venture

Vietjet’s foothold in the Kazakhstan market signals a quiet reshaping of air travel in Central Asia, where low-cost carriers are still in their infancy.

Vietnam’s fastest-growing airline has announced a major new joint venture in Kazakhstan. The partnership with Qazaq Air will create a new airline brand known as Vietjet Qazaqstan.

The deal represents only the second agreement of its kind after the creation of Vietjet Thailand in 2014.

The project was announced during a tour of the Central Asian country by To Lam, general secretary of Vietnam’s Communist Party. The timing — coinciding with a formal state visit — underscores how aviation can be used as a tool of soft power and economic diplomacy.

In a joint statement, the companies confirmed that the new airline will operate a fleet of at least 20 Boeing 737 pla