EURO ASIA NEWS INTERNET NEWSPAPER

In the current economically challenging time management of CJSC “Azerbaijan Airlines» (AZAL) seeks to develop new ways of development. Expanded mesh routing, introduced cost flights and special prices at the most popular routes. The work in this direction continues.

In an exclusive interview haqqin.az AZAL Vice President Eldar Hajiyev told how the company responded to the criticism of its pricing policy that has already been done, and that is supposed to take to passengers it easier and cheaper to fly aircraft of this particular airline.

– Last year, the main national airline has come under a barrage of sharp criticism of the domestic media, the blogosphere and the public due to high prices. How, in your opinion, is the general indignation was justified?

– I confess, then I, as one of the airline’s executives, all this criticism in our address longer seem nitpicking. But time has shown that major changes in passenger air transportation market.

Most of the citizens of Azerbaijan, AZAL availing the services, and foreign tourists visiting our country, waiting for us to new services, and at competitive prices. However, there is one more important detail: until recently, AZAL CJSC does not position itself as a low-cost carrier, we have always been considered a classic airline. And sharply criticized in his address, frankly, we were not ready.

However, the conclusions made, and immediately began a large-scale work. Today we know what we want and that will take in the future to provide a new product, new quality services to our clients. On passenger air transport market is now huge competition. Quite often we are accused of that, they say, AZAL – monopoly in the airline industry, but it is not. In fact, this market in Azerbaijan is quite liberal. In fact, in the territory of Azerbaijan it has the principle of “open sky”. Today, virtually every airline wished to operate flights to our country, quite easily it receives permission to fly the country government.

However, there is a rule: before going to the authorities of the country where the airline is going to fly, it must obtain a license in his home country. The media exaggerated the long theme that supposedly AZAL mends someone obstacles prohibits some airlines work in Baku. Now that’s unreasonable criticism. We can not forbid anyone to fly to Azerbaijan, on the contrary, today we operate in a competitive environment.

– Even in the domestic market?

– No, it’s not about the domestic market. In the direction of Nakhchivan, Ganja and Gabala hardly sometime will be a foreign company. By the way, the airfare in these areas is regulated by the state.

– And even if I am not mistaken, these flights are subsidized by the state?

– State subsidies are provided only for flights in the direction of Nakhchivan.

– In the near future the Turkish company “Pegasus” is planning to open a budget flight to Gabala – Istanbul. Does this affect the passenger traffic AZAL in this direction?

– “Pegasus” does offer quite interesting rates. No doubt that this will affect the volumes of passenger transportation in Istanbul AZAL direction. But as you know, one of the tenets of any business says, the development is only possible where there is a worthy competition. And today AZAL is ready to compete with any airline, which will operate on the territory of Azerbaijan.

– Last year, the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has demanded from the leadership of AZAL to reform its activities, in particular, make the airline more accessible in terms of price, without losing the quality of service. What has been done in this regard?

– The President set a task to many government agencies, including the front of “Azerbaijan Airlines”. And I think that over time our Company was able to do many things that have already experienced our passengers. Even last year were revised prices for the most popular tourist destinations. Naturally, the downside. Although, again, it was not easy for us, as the budget airline was drawn up on the basis of price and other figures.

However, in four directions – Moscow, Istanbul, Antalya and Dubai – have been initiated cost flights. Unfortunately, the direction of Dubai and then was removed from the budget flights. However, I would not call them so much budgetary as our airline will never be the budget.

Economy loukost companies all built differently than the classical economy airlines which include AZAL. At the same time, in February of this year, we are quite a lot of their flights were transferred to a different mode of operation. For example, if the flight duration is less than three and a half hours, economy class passengers are given the opportunity to form the price of your ticket. That is, buying a ticket, the client company pays only for travel from point A to point B. If he has the luggage, then he pays for it separately, if he wants to get a hot meal on board, it shall pay in advance, and for him. Thus, depending on their budget traveler himself partly determines the price of the ticket.

March 28, that is, from the beginning of the summer season in aviation, we will try to establish an even more attractive price for our passengers. And so it did not affect the image of the classic flight, it decided to introduce a new, particularly budget brand – AZAL-JET. I hope that this brand will be in great demand from our passengers. The only request to both the passengers and the media, at least at first, to be tolerant to the airlines, because for us especially the introduction of budget flights and brands is a novelty.

– The current crisis has, unfortunately, did not pass anyone. How much he touched AZAL – whether passenger traffic has decreased, there was no longer unprofitable flights?

– According to information received by us from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of direct passengers from Azerbaijan this year may slightly reduced. Likely to suffer our flights in the European direction. These are the most classic route. Naturally, we not idly sit, try to minimize the loss.

Exceptionally, in order to ensure the profitability of our flights, we shall try to conquer new markets. In addition, by the end of this year it is planned to turn the Heydar Aliyev International Airport as an international hub. Above this are now actively working – we consult with our colleagues at IATA, we are studying the possibility to fly to major cities in Europe and Asia.

Of course, the whole of Eurasia to reach impossible, but airlines connect the city 3-4 in each part of the world we are quite capable. In addition, we have a wonderful airport, meets the highest international requirements. Baku Airport is designed to service around 9 million people a year, and today it is used by only 30% capacity.

– I’m sorry, but it is necessary, as the started to finish the conversation at some negative. Rumor has it that the airline serious delays of wages, and faced with this, not only the employees of ground services, but even the flight crews. Maybe it anticipated massive downsizing?

– Unfortunately, this is not a rumor. Delays in the payment of wages due to the fact that the company’s revenues fell sharply. Believe me, everything is taken so that people receive timely payment for their work. But as for reductions, it is really nothing more than rumors – no staff cuts, we did not and do not provide.

Otherwise, it can not be, because the civil aviation workers are the property of the country, and we are proud of them. This is not just professionals and highly skilled professionals. We are proud of the fact that exploit modern aircraft that our Heydar Aliyev International Airport, especially its terminal №1, has the most modern technologies.