Dozens of foreign passengers stranded at Taraz airport

Tengrinews.kz — Dozens of passengers traveling from Vietnam to Yekaterinburg were stranded in the transit zone of Taraz Airport. What was supposed to be a routine refueling stop turned into an almost day-long delay.
What happened
One of the passengers contacted the newsroom via WhatsApp. According to her, the aircraft operated by SCAT Airlines landed in Taraz for a scheduled refueling stop. Instead of the planned one hour, passengers spent more than 18 hours in the airport’s transit, or “clean” zone.
The passenger said the departure time was repeatedly postponed — first by one hour, then again and again. Airline representatives were reportedly unable to explain the reasons for the delay, and the carrier’s hotline was unavailable.

“A whole plane full of passengers is stuck at Taraz airport. For more than 14 hours, all we’ve heard is ‘we don’t know anything.’ We have no communication. The airline representatives simply left us in the airport building without information or assistance,” a Russian passenger said.

What the airline said
The airline confirmed the long delay and stated that it was caused by technical issues.

“The departure of charter flight VSV5322/451 on the Phu Quoc – Taraz – Yekaterinburg route, operated on January 20, 2026, was delayed. During pre-flight preparations, the aircraft required additional technical maintenance,” the airline said.

SCAT Airlines emphasized that passenger comfort measures were provided throughout the delay.

“During the waiting period, passengers were provided with meals three times, as well as hot and cold drinks and blankets for comfort. All technical work has now been completed, and the aircraft is being prepared for departure. The airline apologizes for the inconvenience caused. Passenger safety remains our top priority,” the company added.