Samir Rzayev, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC (AZAL), gave an interview to APA News Agency and Azerbaijan State Television (AzTV).
The head of AZAL answered questions about air safety, eliminating risks in the airspace against the backdrop of the Israel-Iran-US conflict, the transfer of compensation by the Russian side in connection with the shooting down of an AZAL plane, allegations made about the increase in air ticket prices, the reasons for certain delays on Baku-Nakhchivan flights, and other issues.
AZTV: Mr. Samir, if we talk about AZAL's development strategy, what are the most important priorities?
- AZAL's development strategy is built on several main directions, and safety is at the heart of this strategy. Along with this, sustainable and balanced growth, improving passenger experience, operational sustainability and digital transformation are also considered to be among the main priorities. The gradual renewal of our fleet is also one of AZAL's most important priorities. Currently, there are 26 aircraft in AZAL's fleet, and according to our new strategy, we plan to increase the number of aircraft to over 50 by 2032. We are continuously negotiating in this direction, working on contracts. To date, 6 new Airbus A320neo aircraft have entered our fleet. I would like to note that 10 days ago we added the 6th A320neo aircraft to our fleet, and it is planned to enter 7 additional aircraft by the end of this year. 6 of them are Airbus A320neo and 1 is Boeing 787-9. Azerbaijan Airlines is also continuously working to expand its international route network. In 2025, code-sharing agreements were signed with Uzbekistan Airways, Gulf Air, and recently Air Serbia. Currently, AZAL has 12 code-sharing agreements, and at the same time, we operate under more than 40 interline agreements. As you know, AZAL also uses 4 additional leased aircraft in its fleet, and the reason for this is the high passenger demand, which was used to meet that demand. It is planned to return these aircraft after new aircraft enter our fleet by approximately November of this year.
APA: What are the main factors that determine the high results achieved by AZAL in recent years?
- The results we have achieved are undoubtedly the result of the parallel and coordinated work of several key factors. Proper strategic planning, optimization of operations, flexible management and, most importantly, a customer-oriented approach play a special role here. Currently, a steady growth trend is observed in AZAL's financial indicators. Since 2023, the company's revenues have increased by 42%. During this period, we can also observe a significant increase in the number of passengers. In 2025, the number of AZAL passengers exceeded 4 million, of which about 1 million were transit passengers. This indicator is especially important for us, as it shows the strengthening of Azerbaijan's position as a regional transit center. One of the main reasons for the increase in passenger numbers is the expansion of the route network. Last year alone, we opened 4 new destinations, and currently AZAL operates flights to a total of 53 destinations.
AZTV: Mr. Rzayev, the key to success in all structures is human capital and the ability to use this capital properly. What strategic priorities does the development of human capital reflect at AZAL? What can you say about this?
- You are absolutely right. The development of human capital is an integral part of AZAL's strategic priorities. In recent years, a more structured and purposeful approach has been applied to increasing employee loyalty. As a result, our employee loyalty indicator has already reached 83%. This is one of the most important indicators for us. At the same time, we are currently working on the SKY Academy platform. We attach special importance to the formation of a culture of continuous learning and development. With the implementation of the SKY Academy platform, both professional and personal development opportunities for employees are expanded. Restructuring the performance management system is also a very important criterion for us. The main goal is to more clearly define the goals of our employees, measure their results more accurately, and on their basis, be able to systematically manage the future development process. We are also working very closely on the integration of new employees into the organization, and the new platforms we have implemented in this direction help employees adapt faster and become part of the team at the same time. To date, the total number of our employees who have requested voluntary redundancy has been only 3%.
AZTV: AZAL pilots can also be considered the most professional pilots in the world. They are already quite reputable. What is the level of pilot and guide training at AZAL?
- Absolutely true. In general, we should highly evaluate AZAL's flight crew. Continuous training of pilot crew is one of our main criteria. Continuous expansion of the fleet necessitates continuous training of pilot crew. We are implementing programs to improve the qualifications of new pilots, continuously. Since 2024, our flight crew training center located at Gabala International Airport has been operating, and we are already taking appropriate measures there to ensure that our pilots acquire more advanced, more advanced skills. Currently, 25 pilots are participating in the programs at the school I mentioned, at our training center. At the same time, 65 of our pilots have been involved in international training programs in Turkey and they are expected to return to the country by the end of 2026 and begin their professional activities. At the end of last month, 36 of our graduates began training in the city of Lieda, Spain. Our young pilots who have successfully completed the training will now begin their work at Azerbaijan Airlines, having obtained their "type rating" certificates. At the same time, I would like to bring to your attention that the International Training Center was recently opened at the National Aviation Academy. The Training Center consists of 2 parts. One part of the center is intended for the training of air traffic controllers, and the other part is intended as a training part for flight crew in emergency situations. The main goal is that we, as AZAL, as the National Aviation Academy, are working to concentrate all aviation personnel training programs in Azerbaijan. There are also selection process criteria for flight attendants - strong communication, high empathy, service culture, language skills, ability to work with a team, and most importantly, a responsible approach to passenger safety. These are very important criteria and are used in all our selection processes. After selection, candidates join a 2-month intensive theoretical training program, and then carry out 6 real flight experiences, including practical training in emergency situations. As a result, our employees who successfully pass all stages are allowed to fly independently and gradually become fully qualified flight attendants. For your information, over the past 3 years, more than 400 new flight attendants have joined our team and are now operating on all our flights.
APA: What are the main innovations in customer experience in recent years?
- We are constantly working on improving the quality of service. At the end of last year, we signed an agreement with Viasat, a global leader in satellite communications. We have already launched high-speed on-board Wi-Fi on our new aircraft. We have also completely updated the multimedia entertainment system on all our aircraft. Another example is that we regularly introduce innovations to the food menu to offer passengers a variety of options. AZAL has been repeatedly declared the winner of the “Best Regional Airline in Central Asia and the CIS” nomination by Skytrax. This assessment is based on global surveys involving passengers from different countries of the world and service quality indicators. In April of this year, we were awarded the “Best On-board Entertainment and Connectivity” award for the CIS countries by PAX International.
AZTV: Mr. Rzayev, when you spoke about AZAL's development strategy, you stated that safety is the main priority. What do your safety indicators say about AZAL's overall operational quality today?
- Yes, you are right. Safety is our most important priority. In general, the main and unchanging priority in the airline's activities is flight safety. Flight safety is at the heart of all strategic and operational decisions of the company, and each activity is evaluated primarily on the basis of this principle. AZAL has a flight safety management mechanism, which we call SMS - Safety Management System. This system is built in full accordance with the requirements of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Aviation, as well as international standards and recommendations established by ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization). The flight safety management model provides us with timely identification and management of risks and creates guarantees. In addition, each incident or operational non-compliance is investigated in detail, preventive measures are taken, and appropriate training is provided to pilots in this regard. In the aviation sector, we have an indicator called SAFA (Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft). This is an assessment of the safety of foreign aircraft. We have reduced this index from more than 1.7 to 0.8. This, in turn, is considered a good indicator, because the quality indicator of the SAFA index is determined by decreasing.
APA: How have the digital solutions introduced on AZAL's official website and mobile application changed customer experience and business results in recent times?
- In 2023, we launched a modern and updated website, as well as our mobile application. We have created a personal account for miles users, improved the process of calculating miles. Also, passengers can now use miles to purchase additional services. In 2025, we began implementing the Apple Pay and Google Pay payment systems. Another interesting innovation is that they can now add boarding passes to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet, which is also a separate innovation. Thanks to the new functionality, passengers can change economy class tickets to business class, which is also an additional service. More than 15 thousand passengers have used this service to date. Services such as price stabilization for passengers and online ticket changes have also been included in our website and application. At the same time, flight status notifications and schedule change notifications have also been added to our website and mobile app. I would like to note that we plan to update our official website and mobile app again in the near future.
AZTV: Focusing on sustainable development, what are the main priorities of your ESG - that is, environmental, social and governance - strategy?
- We have united airlines, airports and air navigation services around a single ESG strategy. Our goal is to create a low-carbon aviation ecosystem. One of the priorities of this strategy is to renew the fleet with new generation fuel-efficient aircraft. I would like to especially highlight the role of the "Azeraeronavigation" Air Traffic Control (AZANS) in our ESG strategy. Hundreds of thousands of flights are optimized annually through satellite-based observation and space tracking technologies. This means shortening routes and reducing fuel consumption. As a result, total carbon emissions have decreased by 2.6%. We are trying to implement international standards for emissions management by joining the IATA (International Air Transport Association) sustainability program. We have formulated our decarbonization plan for near-net-zero emissions by 2050 and are planning to announce it soon.
AZTV: Not every country can join global initiatives. How does participation in global initiatives, as a representative of Azerbaijan, affect AZAL's strategic position.
- Participation in global initiatives makes AZAL part of the global aviation agenda. In this regard, the COP29 event became an important platform for us. AZAL organized a climate action session of airports and presented to the participants its activities on fleet renewal and preparation for sustainable aviation fuels. Also, last year, we hosted the International Air Transport Association (IATA) energy forum, which was held for the first time in the region. This shows that AZAL is giving a new direction to the sustainable development of aviation in the region. In addition, the Airport has risen to level 3 under the “Airport Carbon Accreditation” program. This is one of the firsts for Heydar Aliyev International Airport and in general in the Caspian region and Central Asia.
AZTV: What are the main trends in the profitability dynamics of Heydar Aliyev International Airport in general in recent years?
- Over the past 3 years, Heydar Aliyev International Airport has shown high profitability dynamics. This growth is mainly due to the expansion of passenger traffic and the opening of new destinations. In 2025, the airport served more than 7 million, or more precisely, 7.6 million passengers. Of these, about 1 million are transit passengers, which has increased 3 times since 2023.
APA: Mr. Rzayev, you have just mentioned that the airport has achieved many successes. What are the main successes and improvements?
- One of the main indicators reflecting the development of Heydar Aliyev International Airport is the international awards it has won. The airport has a 5-star rating from the prestigious Skytrax company and has repeatedly been awarded the Skytrax “Best Airport in Central Asia and the CIS” award. In terms of safety, we work together with foreign partners to ensure compliance with international quality standards. Our latest achievement in this area is the successful completion of the “APEX in Safety” safety assessment of Heydar Aliyev International Airport. This is an indicator of compliance with the safety standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization - ICAO.
This demonstrates compliance with the safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
APA: How does airspace optimization affect flights?
- Azerbaijan's location at the intersection of major routes between Europe and Asia makes it a transit hub. This factor has become increasingly important in recent years. Geopolitical restrictions in several regions and the redistribution of air traffic have led airlines to increasingly choose Azerbaijani airspace as a stable and predictable route. Since Azerbaijani airspace is considered the most suitable for safer flights during unstable geopolitical situations, many airlines turn to our airspace. In 2025, AZANS safely handled more than 342 thousand flights in its airspace. When routes are optimally designed, flight times are shortened, delays are minimized, and fuel consumption is reduced. This means lower operating costs, as well as more stable flights for passengers.
Follow us on Telegram
t.me/apanewsaz
Follow us on Instagram
Follow us on TikTok
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on X
