Kazakhstan's Aviation Administration held a meeting in Astana with representatives of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The delegation was led by Eric Yatar, Executive Director for Aviation and International Policy. The meeting took place during ICAO Aviation Security Week 2026, held on 20–22 October. The Kazakh side reported its results on 27 October.
What was discussed
The sides spoke about the aviation security requirements that must be met before a Kazakh carrier can start flying to the United States, and about the preparation of Air Astana's aviation security programme.
The US side outlined the stages: — review of the airline's security programme; — checking that passenger data transmission systems are compatible with the TSA Secure Flight programme; — an aviation security assessment of the airport before flights begin; — coordination of these procedures with those of the US Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
A preliminary survey of the airport was carried out earlier. The sides reviewed its results and further work on TSA recommendations. The report does not name the airport.
Other topics
Kazakhstan is interested in studying US legislation and TSA practice on organising a national aviation security system. TSA said it could prepare a systematised overview of the US regulatory framework, and details can be worked out by the agency's regional representatives. Air cargo and supply chain security were also discussed.
What is said about timing
On 20 October, Deputy Transport Minister Talgat Lastayev said he expects Kazakhstan to receive official permission to operate flights to the United States by the end of the year. A specific launch date and route were not named in the report on the TSA meeting.
What has not been announced
The date of the airport assessment, the list of TSA recommendations and which of them have been completed, the timeline for finishing the work and the airport to be assessed have not been named. No confirmation of the meeting's outcome from TSA has been published. There is no decision on approval to fly to the US. The TSA assessment, the FAA review and the airline's security programme remain separate procedures, and the completion of each needs to be confirmed separately.
Our assessment: the report shows the topic moving from general talks to concrete technical steps: the carrier's security programme, passenger data exchange and the airport assessment. This matters for the market because these procedures, not just route plans, determine when US flights become possible. So far none of the procedures has been named as completed, so timing expectations should be treated as a target, not a guarantee. This is flycentralasia's conclusion, not a statement by TSA or the Aviation Administration.
What businesses can do. Airlines and airports in the region considering the US would do well to study the sequence in advance: security programme, Secure Flight, airport assessment. IT providers for passenger data and screening equipment should note that the US side's requirements concern system compatibility. Tour operators should not sell flights to the US before approval and a schedule are officially announced.