ASL Airlines Belgium has inaugurated a direct cargo link between Liege Airport (LGG) and Sary-Arka Airport in Karaganda, Kazakhstan. The service, which began operating on 16 June but was formally announced on 24 June, runs five times per week using Boeing 747-400F aircraft. The route positions Karaganda as a budding logistics hub on the Eurasian land-bridge while reinforcing Liege’s status as one of Europe’s top three cargo gateways. Westbound flights will carry Kazakh manufactured goods, perishables and e-commerce shipments to Belgium, while eastbound legs will transport pharmaceuticals, automotive parts and high-tech components sourced from Benelux and German suppliers. Logistics analysts say the frequency and wide-body capacity could shave up to 48 hours off door-to-door transit times compared with traditional routings via Moscow or Istanbul. The service also bypasses Russian airspace restrictions still affecting some carriers, offering a stable alternative for companies wary of geopolitical risk. Customs brokers at Liege confirm that ASL has integrated the flights into Belgium’s Automated Import System, allowing pre-lodgement of transit declarations and faster truck-feed connections to Antwerp and Rotterdam ports. For Belgian exporters eyeing Central Asia’s infrastructure boom, the schedule provides same-day uplift of project cargo too large for passenger bellies. While primarily a freight development, the new corridor enhances Belgium’s overall connectivity and may spur future combination services that include limited passenger capacity—an option ASL’s parent group is reportedly evaluating.
Source: Aviation24.be
