Azerbaijan's flight network expands

By Azernews

By Amina Nazarli

Azerbaijan's access to international transport corridors continues to expand.

The country's transportation network is diversified both in the air, in the land and in the water transport. Azerbaijan is strengthening its position as a transit country in transport corridors due to strategic geographical position.

With starting of tourism season the number of companies interested in flying to Azerbaijan is increasing.

The passenger transportation hit 607,500 people in January-April of 2017, which is by 27.9 more than last year.

The dynamic of transport sector can be traced by the chronic of the recent days.

Russia’s IrAero carried out the first international flight from Krasnoyarsk to Baku on June 21. Flights will be carried out until the end of the summer schedule twice a week – on Wednesdays and Sundays.

Moreover, Azerbaijan Airlines, AZAL starts operating regular passenger flights from Baku to the capital of Thailand - Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi International Airport) starting October 29. It’s worth to note that this is the first regular direct passenger flight from the capital of Azerbaijan to Southeast Asia.

Flights from Baku to Bangkok will be operated on Tuesdays and Sundays with comfortable Boeing-767 airplanes with economy class and VIP Club cabins. Return flights from Bangkok to Baku will depart on Wednesdays and Mondays.

Meanwhile, AZAL announced its intention to purchase four Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircrafts, which are estimated at approximately $918 million.

“The decision on ordering of the New ‘787-Dreamliner’ opens big opportunities for Azerbaijani Airlines," said AZAL’s president Jahangir Asgarov. As one of the leading CIS carriers, we look forward to expanding our network with proven performance capabilities that the 787 provides.” 

Marty Bentrott, Vice President – Sales, Middle East, Russia & Central Asia, Boeing Commercial Airplanes said that this agreement will open new page in our cooperation with Azerbaijan Airlines.  

“We are sure that efficiency and convenience of ‘B787-Dreamliner’, which is the leader in the market, will successfully help in the modernization of AZAL’s aviation fleet,” he said.

Meanwhile, there is good news for tourists. A national low-cost carrier Buta Airways announced its fare. Final minimum airfare for all destinations of Azerbaijan’s first low-cost airline will be only 29 euros one way.

At the first stage, the Airline will operate flights from Baku to Moscow (Vnukovo Airport), Antalya, Kazan, Mineralnye Vody, Kiev, Tbilisi and Tehran. Starting from the winter season (from October 29 this year), cities such as Istanbul and St. Petersburg will be added to the route network of Buta Airways.

The first flight of Buta Airways from Baku to Tbilisi will be operated on September 1.