The Georgian Airports Association (GAA) has announced that Kazakh airline Scat Airlines has launched its inaugural direct flight between Shymkent and Tbilisi.

The airline will now operate twice-weekly flights connecting the two cities. The first flight, which carried 166 passengers, landed at Tbilisi International Airport, marking a significant milestone in the growing air link between Kazakhstan and Georgia.

The inauguration ceremony at Tbilisi International Airport was attended by key figures, including Aleksandre Khvtisiashvili, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, Levan Moseshvili, Director General of the Airports Association, Tea Zakharadze, General Manager of TAV Georgia, as well as representatives from the Civil Aviation Agency and Scat Airlines.

During the event, the importance of Kazakhstan as a strategic partner for Georgia was highlighted, with special emphasis on its role in the Middle Corridor through economic, transit, and logistics cooperation.

"Shymkent is the fifth Kazakh route added this year between Georgia and Kazakhstan. Currently, three airlines operate flights between the two countries: Air Astana and SCAT Airlines from Tbilisi International Airport, and FlyArystan from Kutaisi International Airport," said the Georgian Airports Association.

Passenger traffic between Georgia and Kazakhstan continues to rise, with Georgian airports handling over 304,000 passengers in the first 11 months of the year—a 10% increase compared to the previous year.