NUR-SULTAN – Kazakhstan has great potential to establish itself as an attractive tourist destination and the intention of LOT Polish Airlines is to help people discover Kazakhstan by providing quality service on the air routes, said Rafal Milczarski, CEO of LOT Polish Airlines in an interview with The Temps d’Astana.

Milczarski said the COVID-19 pandemic was a major disruption for the entire airline industry and it became evident that airlines would have to adapt quickly to the changing nature of the world. But with uncertainty comes opportunity, so “the pandemic has prompted us to pay more attention to other business segments, tourism in particular,” Milczarski said.

“If you think about tourism, it’s about finding something that people don’t know. This search for novelty is best experienced through tourism: by visiting places, meeting people and getting to know their culture. This will be an important factor for the future of aviation, ”said Milczarski. “In many industries, it is possible to work remotely from home. But when it comes to experiences, you can’t really enjoy them from home.

Business-related routes will remain a high priority, he said, “as it always has been.”

When it comes to tourism in Kazakhstan, Milczarski sees great potential for development. “The nature of Kazakhstan, the kindness and hospitality of the Kazakh people and the Kazakh cuisine have incredible tourist value. We would like to help Central Europe to discover Kazakhstan not only as a business destination, but also as an important attractive tourist destination, ”said Milczarski.

Rafal Milczarski and Altay Abibullayev at the opening ceremony of the Warsaw – Nur-Sultan flight. Photo credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Polish airlines LOT have a very keen interest in expanding the Warsaw to Almaty air links in the future. “For a lot of people in Europe, it’s very difficult to see a real winter. In the last 10 years in Poland there have been very little snowy winters. And this is something that can become a very unexpected attraction for many people in Europe, ”said Milczarski, referring to the resorts near Almaty which have attractive ski and hiking destinations that offer a wide range. activities and beautiful landscapes.

Nur-Sultan also has great tourism potential according to Milczarski. “It was amazing to see how, in 20 years, the capital has been built from scratch. Nur-Sultan is now a big, efficient and interesting city, so I think it’s an attraction in itself.

Historically, the flight between Warsaw and Nur-Sultan has been an important route for Poles living in Kazakhstan to their home country and for people traveling for business purposes. It has now evolved into one of the most convenient routes for people from Kazakhstan to travel to Central and Western Europe.

LOT Polish Airlines and Kazakhstan have been partners for more than four years. Diplomats from both countries have played an important role in establishing this relationship. Milczarski underlined the contribution of Altay Abibullayev, former Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Poland, in the launch of the Warsaw – Nour-Sultan flight and recognizing the enormous potential of this route for the Polish and Kazakh peoples. Flight has become a strategically important route connecting Central Asia to Central Europe.

Relations between LOT Polish Airlines and Kazakhstan grew stronger during the pandemic, when Nur-Sultan Airport offered itself as a hub for many airlines, including LOT Polish Airlines, to refuel their planes and change aircraft. ‘crew.

“During the pandemic, we performed a very important duty to bring a lot of goods with protective medical facilities from China to Poland. The direct trip to China and back was too long for a single crew, so we had to swap crews at Nur-Sultan. Our pilots and flight attendants stayed at the hotels in Nur-Sultan and enjoyed excellent hospitality. There were a large number of flights departing from various locations in China to Nur-Sultan with the necessary provisions which were then delivered to Poland, ”Milczarski said. “Kazakhstan has helped us to take on the responsibilities and necessary transport for the benefit of Polish health workers and the Polish people. For this I am very grateful and I want to say a big thank you.

Speaking about their plans, Milczarski mentioned the important role that advancements in technology and the quality of the customer experience will play in the future. Major upgrades will be made to the airline’s operating system, which includes sales systems and website architecture. All upgrades will provide an attractive value proposition and quality service to customers.

Milczarski also congratulated all the people of Kazakhstan on the 30 years of independence that Kazakhstan celebrated on December 16. to govern you strategically and thoughtfully. I wish you all success and happiness. I think Kazakhstan has a great and bright future ahead of it.