The akimat of Kostanay Region is selling the Kostanay International Airport named after A. Baitursynov.
An electronic trading platform is conducting a tender for the transfer of 49% of the shares of JSC 'Kostanay International Airport named after A. Baitursynov' into trust management for a period of five years with the option of a subsequent purchase. 
The shares, which are intended to be sold shortly, are currently owned by the state and are monetarily valued at approximately 4.7 billion tenge. This amount is also stated as the starting price for the asset.
The estimated value of the joint-stock company is approximately 9.6 billion tenge.
According to the terms of the competition, the potential buyer must ensure the airport operates in line with international and national standards.
At their own expense, they must build cargo warehouses and an additional terminal for international flights on the airport's territory, as well as purchase special equipment for servicing cargo aircraft.
Furthermore, it is necessary to extend the runway from 2,800 to 3,200 metres to accommodate heavy aircraft, maintain current flights and staff and, moreover, increase the volume of international transport and cargo transportation.
So why has the regional akimat decided to privatise the international airport?
We can assume the main reason is the company's unstable financial position.
According to financial reports presented on the electronic trading platform portal, the company's total comprehensive income in 2021 was approximately 24.5 million tenge, in 2022 roughly 20 million tenge, and last year the company was at a loss amounting to approximately 115 million tenge.
At the same time, in 2021 the total capital of the joint-stock company exceeded 1.6 billion tenge, in 2022 it grew to 1.9 billion tenge, and in 2023 it surpassed 5 billion tenge.
Trading is scheduled to begin on 8 November.
Let us recall that on 25 October 2024, the validity period of the airworthiness certificates for the Kostanay airfield expired, limiting its use for the take-off and landing of civil aircraft.
A similar situation is observed at the airports of Astana city and Urzhar village, where the validity periods of the certificates expire on 24 December and 29 November respectively.
Let us recall that in August the government approved the transfer of 100% of the shares of JSC 'ATMA – Atyrau Airport and Transportation' to the Qatari company 'QazAir Investments LLC'.