SCAT Airlines Flies First Almaty-Goa Charter as FlyArystan Prepares Monday Start

SCAT Airlines operated its first charter flight from Almaty to Goa International Airport, Dabolim, on Friday night, carrying 189 passengers, The Times of India reported. The arrival opened the Kazakh carrier's charter programme for Goa's international season.

SCAT's First Almaty-Goa Charter Arrives

FlyArystan, another charter operator from Kazakhstan, will commence operations on Monday with 177 passengers on board an Airbus 320 touching down at Manohar International Airport. It will be followed by a Boeing 737 flight from Nur Sultan arriving at Dabolim every Tuesday. FlyArystan launched regular flights from Almaty to Chongqing on September 23, operating twice weekly on Airbus A320neo aircraft, according to Trend, adding Chongqing as the airline's fourth Chinese destination after Urumqi, Yining and Xi'an.

Caper Travel will help bring in around 63 charter flights from Kazakhstan this season with flights touching down at both airports. "The average stay of the tourists is a minimum of seven nights and from New Year, there will be an additional flight. So from peak dates of the season, you will have four flights in total till end of March," said Abida Kumar, executive director of Caper Travel.

Tourism director Kedar Naik said direct charter connectivity plays a valuable role in bringing international travellers closer to Goa and strengthening the state's engagement with emerging tourism markets. Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said the arrival of the first SCAT Airlines charter from Kazakhstan is an encouraging development for Goa's international tourism outreach, adding that Kazakhstan and the wider central Asian region present opportunities to deepen engagement with emerging source markets.

SCAT's Earlier Route and Cargo Moves

SCAT Airlines will operate direct charter flights on the Bishkek to Sanya to Bishkek route starting December 2026, allowing Kyrgyzstan passengers to reach Sanya, China, Newslinekg reported. The airline will launch flights from Shymkent to Singapore, with ticket sales open and the first flight on October 20, using Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with a stopover in Sanya, China, according to Trend. In July 2026, SCAT Airlines signed an agreement with Boeing to convert a Boeing 767-300ER into a 767-300BCF freighter, making it the first Kazakh airline to operate this aircraft type, Air Cargo News reported.

What Comes Next for the Season

From New Year, there will be an additional flight, bringing four flights in total on peak dates until the end of March, according to Abida Kumar of Caper Travel. FlyArystan's Boeing 737 service from Nur Sultan is scheduled to arrive at Dabolim every Tuesday.