Air Astana launches Almaty to Shanghai
Algiers links with Kuala Lumpur and Qingdao with Penang
Air Astana launches Almaty to Shanghai
Algiers links with Kuala Lumpur and Qingdao with Penang
February 11th, 2026. Starting on March 29th, Air Astana will introduce flights between Almaty and Shanghai. The service will operate three times a week, departing on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Flight Number KC281 will take off from Almaty International Airport at 19:10 and will touch down at Pudong International Airport, Shanghai, at 04:25 the next morning. The return leg, flight number KC282, will depart from Shanghai at 05:40 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and will land back in Almaty at 10:15.
The outbound journey will be about six hours and fifteen minutes, and the return approximately seven and a half hours. The route will be served by Airbus A321 Neo aircraft.
Algiers to Kuala Lumpur
On the same day, Air Algérie will launch a direct service linking Algiers with Kuala Lumpur. The flight will depart three times a week on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays with two different time slots.
On Sundays and Fridays, flight number AH3156 will depart from Houari Boumediene International Airport, Algiers at 13:30 and will land at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 13:30 the following day. On Wednesdays, the flight will depart at 20:55 and arrive at 16:30.
The return leg, flight number AH3157, will leave Kuala Lumpur at 15:30 on Mondays and Saturdays nd will arrive back in Algiers at 23:15 or 18:30 on Thursdays. The flight will depart at 18:30 and land at 02:15 on Friday mornings.
Airbus A330-900 Neo will serve the route, and the duration will be about twelve and a half hours for the outbound flight and about two hours longer for the return.
Qingdao to Penang
On March 31st, Qingdao Airlines will commence flights between Qingdao and Penang. The service will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Flight number QW923 will take off from Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport at 09:00 and will arrive at Penang International Airport at 15:35. The return journey, flight number QW924, will leave Penang at 6:35 and arrive back in Qingdao at 22:55.
The flight time will be approximately six and a half hours in each direction, and the route will be served by Airbus A320 aircraft.
I wasn’t able to get the airline’s website to load, but Skyscanner found a couple of agents
Picture: Shanghai Skyline by Gerd Eichmann via Wikimedia Commons
Hotel Suggestions
Grand Central Hotel Shanghai
Swiss-Garden Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
Victoria Garden Hotel, Penang
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