A lack of direct flights has been a bugbear to Hong Kong and Kazakhstan forging closer ties but with the city’s leader now in Astana and hints of incentives on the table, hopes are rising for a breakthrough. It is understood that a Hong Kong-based airline is now exploring launching such flights up to three times a week, but the details are being ironed out. Asel Suankulova, managing director of Kazakh Invest’s Investment Promotion and Marketing Department, told the South China Morning Post that.