In this short essay we will talk about the air carrier Azerbaijan Airlines. This company is usually denoted by the abbreviation AZAL. Where do the Azerbaijan Airlines liners go? What fleet does this company have? And what do travelers themselves say about its services? Sometimes it is compared even to such a well-known leader in air transportation as Emirates. We will find out what such a reputation deserves.
Short info
This company is a subsidiary of the national concern Azerbaijan Hava Yollary, the largest air carrier in the republic. This company is a member of the international association for passenger transportation by air. The main office of Azerbaijan Airlines is located in Baku.
The company has two base airports: the Heydar Aliyev Metropolitan Air Station (located twenty kilometers northeast of the city) and the airport in Ganja. The carrier sends its aircraft both to the republics of the former CIS and to the countries of the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
The company plans to launch flights to North America. For this, a new generation of liners capable of performing transatlantic flights was purchased. The founding date of Azerbaijan Airlines is August 7, 1992. By the way, it was the first air carrier after independence by the Transcaucasian state.
Azerbaijan Airlines fleet
Air traffic in Azerbaijan was at a fairly high level during the Soviet era. For example, turbine aircraft of the IL-18 type began to be used there back in 1959. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan inherited a good fleet. There were only twenty aircraft of the Tu design.
In addition to these aircraft from Aeroflot, the fleet inherited 50 helicopters and 90 light aircraft. But from the first years of its existence, Azerbaijan Airlines announced its intention to completely update the existing liners with newer and more convenient ones.
In 2000, the company acquired its first Boeing (it was the 757th model). Since 2005, the company began to purchase Airbus. In 2007, the company placed a huge order for the supply of Boeing-787. These large, reliable and very convenient for passengers airliners began to be used in 2014.
Already in 2010, no Soviet-style aircraft remained in the AZAL fleet. All of them have been replaced by the latest Airbus and Boeing. By the way, the fleet of Azerbaijan Airlines also has at its disposal Embraer ERJ-170 and 190. The average operational age of this company’s machines is nine years.
Where do Azerbaijan Airlines fly?
The company's liners offer flights to 20 countries. In Moscow, the company’s office is located at 24 Kutuzovsky Prospekt (Kutuzoff Tower). In the capital of Russia, airplanes from Baku land at all three airports. The company also provides transportation within the country, in particular to Nakhichevan. Unfortunately, the number of such flights is reduced due to their unprofitability.
If we talk about the republics of the former CIS, the Azerbaijan Airlines send their liners to Aktau, Kiev, Novosibirsk, Tbilisi, Tashkent, Yekaterinburg and Mineralnye Vody. The map of Baku’s communications with non-CIS countries is much wider. So, company liners fly to Dubai and Sharjah, Doha, Ankara and Istanbul, Tehran, Kabul, Tel Aviv, Urumqi, Rome, Milan, Paris, London.
Facilities and service
What do passengers say about traveling aboard Azerbaijan Airlines? The reviews are positive, because the company's customers praise the novelty and convenience of the machines that fly. Everything is clean, everything is functioning. The chairs are wide, as is the aisle, which is very convenient.
Oversized passengers said that only during flights with Azerbaijan Airlines did they have problems with where to put their knees and how to squeeze into a chair. The reclined backrest did not bother anyone.
The flight attendants on board speak Russian, they are very cute and welcoming. They are fed on liners at no extra charge, and the food is delicious, albeit without frills. On long-haul flights, the passenger will not be bored. There is a music player, and the ability to watch movies. If someone is chilly, the flight attendants will offer a soft warm blanket. Company flights are not delayed without good reason. You can register for a flight via the Internet. On board allow you to take eight kilograms of hand luggage.
Ticket price
Azerbaijan Airlines is famous for its flexible pricing policy. Of course, you can buy a more expensive ticket. But if you plan your trip in advance, you can save some money. For those who travel often, the company offers “free miles” and other bonuses.
There are areas in which this carrier can even be called a low-cost airline. For example, a ticket to Istanbul and back sometimes costs 4000 rubles. True, the conditions there are more Spartan (the price includes only hand luggage). But overall, travelers are extremely pleased with the flight.
Pilots and the whole crew are very professional, brand-new cars, as they say, “straight away”, service at airports is also not satisfactory. Many tourists said that they will now travel on vacation or on business only with Azerbaijan Airlines.