Less than a week after signing a replenishment agreement for more Boeing 787 Dreamliners to enter its fleet, Azerbaijan Airlines is announcing a new flight service to the Indian capital, New Delhi, from August. The new route is scheduled to be in partnership with a General Sales & Service Agent (GSSA) cargo agent, Zeal Global Group, an indicative sign for the airline to prove its intention to break further into the air freight market.

From Baku to New Delhi

Beginning on August 9th, Azerbaijan Airlines will be flying from Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku to Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The frequency of flights will be twice weekly, and the just over four-hour flight will be operated on the airline's Airbus A320s.

The lowest ticket prices for the economy cabin on the new direct flight service costs around AZN 1,272 ($748.24), which includes free baggage allowance of up to 23 kilograms, and a full range of cold and hot meals onboard. As for the business cabin, the lowest ticket prices are currently fixed at around AZN 2,762.98 ($1,625.28), which includes free baggage allowance of up to 32 kilograms and the same range of in-flight meals.

Bringing Azerbaijan to the world

Known for being one of the best stops on a trip to Europe, Azerbaijan has been emerging as a popular Silk Road tourist destination. Baku, the stunning capital, boasts a beautiful long coastline that offers a variety of landscapes, from beaches and volcanoes to a cityscape where the past meets the present. Undoubtedly, the Azerbaijani national carrier's expanded route network proves its effort to continue bringing Azerbaijan to the rest of the world.

Such efforts would evidently pay off in helping the Azerbaijani aviation industry recover from the pandemic. Last year, Azerbaijani airports served 2.93 million passengers, twice as many as in 2020. Of the total number, passengers on international flights accounted for 2.39 million. Azerbaijan Airlines carried more than 874,500 passengers and accounted for more than 38% of the total number of international flights.

Since the beginning of this year, the total passenger traffic of Heydar Aliyev International Airport has exceeded 2 million people. In last month alone, 530,000 people were served at the airports, which is 96% of pre-pandemic levels. Once again, Azerbaijan Airlines was the main contributor as it carried over 618,000 passengers in the first half of the year and will continue to be an important carrier for the nation as it expands internationally.

Azerbaijan Airlines and its cargo ambitions

Though it is the largest Azerbaijani airport in passenger traffic, Heydar Aliyev International Airport is also the largest in cargo traffic. The airport is home to an Azerbaijani private cargo airline once owned by Azerbaijan Airlines, Silk Way Airlines. Operating air freight services linking Europe and Asia, the US, and Africa, Silk Way has grown to become the world's leading air cargo carrier and has undoubtedly taken over the title of the region's best air cargo transporter.

But with Azerbaijan Airlines partnering with Zeal Global Group for the Buke-New Delhi route service, as India is also a significant cargo market, it could mean that the flag carrier is trying to break further into the market. While Azerbaijan Airlines might not be breaking into the market further to compete with Silk Way, it is presumably an effort to ensure Heydar Aliyev International Airport continues to be the undisputed pioneer in passenger and cargo air transportation.

Source: Times of India