TravTalk India Online Magazine
Azerbaijan Airlines brings Mumbai closer to the destination with a direct, three-times-a-week flight from the city into Baku, and beyond to London and other European cities. It is a full services airline operating on 757 with a total seat capacity of 180, which includes 22 business class and 158 economy class seats.
Hazel Jain
After starting direct flights from Baku into Delhi, Azerbaijan Airlines is now flying directly into Mumbai, announces Vishal Sharma, Managing Director, Zeal Global Services
“We now have a total of six departures from India into Baku with this launch starting from 29 October 29 2023. The frequency is three times a week taking off every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from Mumbai. It is a full services airline operating on 757 with a total seat capacity of 180. This includes 22 business class and 158 economy class seats.”
With this new direct route, passengers from Mumbai and surrounding regions can now enjoy the convenience of a four-hour non-stop flight to Baku. The Delhi route was launched in April 2023 with three flights a week.
Sharma says that the load factor from Delhi is touching almost 90 per cent today. “We have different traveller segments on our flights from senior citizens, families, solo women travellers, to HNIs. Vegetarian food is easily available in Baku and
it’s a wonderful destination for everyone. We also fly beyond Baku to Georgia (Tbilisi), and many major cities in Europe like Milan, Berlin, Vienna, London, and to other CIS countries,” Sharma adds.
Azerbaijan Airlines is also offering a limited time offer to travellers from Mumbai. The Companion Free offer includes a second seat for free and is valid until 13 November 2023. Zeal Global is primarily a cargo GSSA company and is now diversifying into the passenger side with Azerbaijan Airlines.
To reaffirm India’s potential as a key source market, the Azerbaijan Tourism Board recently concluded a successful three-city destination seminar for travel trade partners in New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai. It should be noted that during January-September 2023, the number of visitors from India to Azerbaijan was 77,379 people, a 115 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.
Azerbaijan destination partner of WTTC
Azerbaijan has been selected as the official destination partner of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). It was decided in a meeting between Fuad Nagiyev, chairman of the State Tourism Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC. They also discussed the prospects of promoting the country as a new tourist destination. Being a partner country, Azerbaijan is also a member of the ‘Sustainable Basics’ programme of the WTTC, which includes 12 main activities for hotels.
