FlyArystan A320 fire during maintenance
An 11-year-old FlyArystan Airbus A320-200 caught fire during scheduled maintenance at Almaty Airport on Friday, injuring one employee.
An 11-year-old Airbus A320-200 operated by FlyArystan caught fire at Almaty Airport (ALA) on Friday. The incident occurred while the aircraft was undergoing scheduled maintenance, according to its parent company, Air Astana Group.
Videos of the event show the blaze was confined to a small area of the airplane's nose. Airport emergency services responded quickly and extinguished the flames. One Air Astana Group employee was injured and received hospital treatment before being discharged the same day. No crew or passengers were onboard.
Details of the Incident
As reported by Aviacionline, smoke was seen near the rear of the aircraft, with flames visible as a glow in the nose gear bay located below the cockpit. This area typically houses equipment such as crew oxygen bottles. Air Astana Group described it as an 'operational incident' during routine maintenance.
The fire was quickly contained and put out. The aircraft has been withdrawn from service pending a full assessment and repair plan. Maintenance fires often lead to extended periods out of service for structural evaluation and to check for heat damage to electrical or hydraulic systems. The Aviation Administration of Kazakhstan (AAK) has not yet published its findings.
Aircraft History and Status
The aircraft involved is registered as EI-KBN, an 11.9-year-old A320-200 with manufacturer serial number (MSN) 6343. It first flew under the French Airbus registration F-WWBR. Flight data indicates it did not operate on the day of the fire but had completed eight sectors the previous day, Thursday, August 27.
The plane joined FlyArystan in March 2021. Its previous operator was Indian carrier Vistara, where it flew as VT-TTE from November 2014 until being stored in September 2020. It is currently configured in an all-economy layout for 180 passengers.
| Aircraft Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Registration | EI-KBN |
| Type | Airbus A320-200 |
| Age | 11.9 years |
| MSN | 6343 |
| First Flight Registration | F-WWBR |
| Passenger Configuration | 180 (all-economy) |
| Joined FlyArystan | March 2021 |
| Previous Operator | Vistara (VT-TTE, Nov 2014 - Sep 2020) |
FlyArystan's fleet includes 15 A320-200s, eight of which were acquired from Vistara, and also features the A320neo.
Airline Background
FlyArystan is Kazakhstan's first low-cost carrier, founded in November 2018 and wholly owned by Air Astana. It operates an all-A320 family fleet. The airline, which carries the slogan 'Say YES! to Travel', received a 4-star Skytrax rating in 2022 and was voted the best low-cost carrier in Central Asia in 2023.
This fire is a rare incident for the airline. Other notable events include a runway incursion in Mumbai in February 2024 and a bird strike in January 2025 that resulted in minor engine damage.
