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AZAL: Number of flights nearly doubles in three years

07 September 2026 15:50 (UTC +04:00)

The number of flights operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) has increased significantly in recent years, APA-Economics reports.

Mahammad Aliyev, Business Partner for ESG Data Management at Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, said this during a panel discussion titled “Scaling Climate Finance through Carbon Markets” held as part of Baku Climate Week.

According to him, while AZAL operated approximately 18,000 flights during 2022, this figure exceeded 35,000 in 2025.

Aliyev noted that alongside the increase in the number of passengers, new routes and flights in the aviation sector, climate and emissions requirements are also expanding.

“Carbon is no longer just an environmental issue. It is becoming a factor affecting business and financial decisions. The carbon market affects procurement, fuel strategy, fuel planning and long-term investment decisions,” he said.

The AZAL official emphasized that although carbon pricing is expanding, a unified global system has not yet been established, and different methodologies are applied in different countries and regions.

He also said that the role of international cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is increasing. This mechanism allows emission reduction outcomes generated in one country to be used internationally.

Aliyev added that the approach to the use of carbon credits has also changed. Currently, it is not only the price of the credit that matters, but also its type, methodology, verification requirements and the purposes for which it can be used.

According to him, not all types of carbon credits can be used in aviation, and ICAO has established eligibility criteria in this regard.

The AZAL representative also spoke about the company’s net-zero emissions strategy by 2050. He said the main areas for reducing emissions include purchasing new and more efficient aircraft, using sustainable aviation fuel and optimizing flight operations.

According to Aliyev, the use of new aircraft makes it possible to reduce emissions by 15–20%. In addition, since last year, the use of 2% sustainable aviation fuel has been applied on flights to European destinations, and this figure is expected to reach approximately 30% by 2050.

He noted that the carbon market is not a substitute for the decarbonization strategy as a whole, but rather one of its components.

Rahim Tariverdiyev

Azerbaijan Airlines AZAL Baku Climate Week Mahammad Aliyev aviation carbon markets climate finance carbon emissions sustainable aviation fuel net-zero emissions Paris Agreement ICAO