Astana Airport Violates Antimonopoly Law with Unregulated Fuel Fee, Court Rules
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
The Agency for Protection and Development of Competition (AЗРК) stated on July 29 that Astana’s international airport violated antimonopoly law by levying an unregulated fee on jet fuel suppliers. The fee varied between 16,240 and 77,852 tenge per tonne, increasing cost risks for end consumers. A court of first instance has upheld the investigation’s conclusions.
The Antimonopoly Violation
The Astana Department of the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition (AЗРК) found that JSC “International Airport Nursultan Nazarbayev” abused its monopoly by charging jet fuel suppliers an unregulated fee. The fee ranged from 16,240 to 77,852 tenge per tonne, with suppliers unable to refuse the terms or access alternative service providers. The actions were classified under Article 174 of Kazakhstan’s Entrepreneurship Code as an abuse of monopoly.
Fee Fluctuation and Financial Impact
AЗРК’s investigation documented successive changes in the fee: initially 16,240 tenge per tonne, then rising to 77,852 tenge, and later settling at 60,137 tenge. These fluctuations increased financial pressure on market participants and raised the risk of higher jet fuel costs for end consumers. The agency noted that the charge lacked regulatory basis and that the airport’s exclusive control over fueling infrastructure gave suppliers no alternatives.
Court Ruling and Regulatory Crackdown
A court of first instance recognized the investigation’s findings as lawful. According to Zakon.kz, on July 1, 2026, AЗРК Chair Marat Omarov ordered territorial departments to intensify monitoring of fuel prices among oil suppliers, wholesale distributors, and retail stations, with instructions to take antimonopoly measures if violations were detected.
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