JSC «Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport» is suspected of sharply increasing fees for the right to sell aviation fuel, which directly affects the cost of refuelling aircraft.
According to media reports, based on a draft conclusion from the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition (APDC), since August last year the airport has raised the fee nearly fivefold — from 16,240 to 77,852 tenge per tonne (excluding VAT). Since February this year, the fee has been 60,137 tenge.
According to the APDC, this practice violates competition rules because it effectively deprives alternative suppliers of the ability to provide refuelling services and leads to higher costs for aviation fuel.
The airport itself claims that the fee is justified by market conditions and complies with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The company also asserts that income from such payments does not cover the costs of modernising the fuel storage and refuelling complex.
However, the APDC notes that such fees must be levied in a transparent manner and must not be discriminatory. According to the agency, in 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, the airport held a 100% share of the market for granting the right to sell aviation fuel in the Astana area. Its revenue during the audited period amounted to nearly 2.8 billion tenge, with a fine of 140.2 million tenge.
"Based on the foregoing, and taking into account that the actions of the subject of the investigation constitute a violation of Article 174 (abuse of a dominant or monopoly position) of the Entrepreneurial Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, we propose that the violation be deemed established. We consider it appropriate to initiate an administrative case against JSC 'Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport' and issue an order," the document states.
The APDC clarified that it has launched an investigation into the overcharging of aircraft refuelling prices. The draft conclusion has been sent to the airport for review and submission of objections. A final assessment will be made following the completion of the inspection.