In a ceremony held in Baku, Azerbaijan’s flag carrier, Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), placed a firm order for twelve aircraft from the A320neo family, including the A320neo and A321neo. The airline will announce the engine choice at a later stage.
The order will allow the airline to renew its fleet by phasing out four A319ceo and six A320ceo, which are between 15.5 and 17.5 years old. The company already operates three A320neo.
According to the manufacturer, the A320neo family incorporates the latest technologies, including next-generation engines and Sharklets, which together offer at least 20% fuel savings and CO2 emissions.
“We are pleased to continue our mutually beneficial cooperation with Airbus in our fleet modernization program and intend to strengthen the bilateral partnership. The signed contract will provide our passengers with the most modern and comfortable single-aisle aircraft”, said the First Vice President of AZAL CJSC, Samir Rzayev.
Mixed fleet from five manufacturers
For Boeing, this order represents another blow as Azerbaijan Airlines had canceled an order for ten Boeing 737 MAX in June 2019 following the accidents involving the model. However, the airline maintains relations with the American manufacturer.
Azerbaijan Airlines’ long and medium-haul fleet consists of one Boeing 757-200, three Boeing 767-300ER, two Boeing 787-8, and two Airbus A340-500 (the last in the world with commercial operations). The A340s will be replaced by four Boeing 787-8 ordered in 2022.
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In addition, it has a government fleet consisting of an Airbus ACJ 319, an ACJ 320, an A340-600, a Boeing 767-300ER, and a Boeing 777-200 (LR). Its low-cost airline, Buta Airways, has eight Embraer 190 aircraft, and its cargo division, Azal Avia Cargo, has two Antonov 12s, one Antonov 26B, and two Ilyushin 76TDs.
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AZAL’s destination network, along with Buta Airways, covers a large part of Central Asia and the main cities of Europe and the Middle East. According to information obtained through Cirium, their main markets are Turkey, with eight cities, and Russia, with fifteen, accounting for 30% of their monthly frequencies.
