BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 6. AZAL flight routes in 2022 were profitable, CEO of Azerbaijan Investment Holding Ruslan Alikhanov said during an event dedicated to the signing of a contract between Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL) and Airbus for the purchase of aircraft, Trend reports.
According to him, the acquisition of new aircraft will significantly expand the geography of AZAL flights.
"In 2022, passenger traffic tripled and reached 2.2 million people. AZAL's new strategy, which covers the period until 2030, has already been approved. Considering the favorable location of Heydar Aliyev International Airport, last year AZAL operated international flights to almost all EU countries,” the CEO noted.
Alikhanov also noted that the main task of AZAL's new strategy is to optimize its fleet.
"In 2022, we purchased three new aircraft. Today we signed a contract for the purchase of another 12 aircraft, and this work will continue in the future," he added.
Earlier, Azerbaijan flag carrier, AZAL, has placed an order with Airbus for 12 A320neo Family aircraft including A320neo and A321neo.
The contract has been signed at a ceremony held in Baku. These latest generation A320neo Family aircraft are part of the company’s fleet renewal strategy to operate the most modern and fuel-efficient aircraft and increase operational efficiency and competitiveness. It offers passengers excellent comfort throughout its fleet. The engine choice will be announced by the airline at a later stage.