Abu Dhabi, UAE – Etihad Airways has launched the first ever scheduled flights linking Abu Dhabi and Baku.
- First scheduled service linking the
UAE and Azerbaijani capitals
- New codeshare partnership with
Azerbaijan Airlines
- Appointment of new Country Manager
Azerbaijan
The inaugural flight, EY297,
departed Abu Dhabi yesterday carrying a special delegation including diplomats,
dignitaries, media representatives, and senior members of Etihad Airways’
management team. On arrival in Baku, the aircraft was greeted with a
traditional water cannon salute, followed by the customary display of the
Emirati and Azerbaijani national flags from the cockpit windows.
Peter
Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are tremendously
excited to be launching scheduled flights between Abu Dhabi and Baku, the only
scheduled service linking the two capitals. There is strong demand from both
markets for a direct, full-service operation on the route, and we have
responded to this increasing customer requirement. The new flights will further
boost traffic from the UAE and strengthen the bilateral relations between the
two nations.
“The visa waiver programme
introduced for UAE nationals by Azerbaijan in 2015 has greatly stimulated
interest in the country, resulting in a surge of visitors since its
implementation.”
Etihad Airways and Azerbaijan
Airlines recently announced a codeshare partnership which now sees Azerbaijan
Airlines place its 'J2' code on Etihad Airways services between Baku and Abu
Dhabi.
Under this partnership,
Azerbaijan Airlines guests will be able to book codeshare flights to and from
Abu Dhabi and connect onto Etihad Airways’ extensive global network.
Jahangir Asgarov,
President of Azerbaijan Airlines CJSC, said: "Azerbaijan Airlines and
Etihad Airways are long-standing partners in civil aviation. The launch of
joint flights between our two airlines will allow Azerbaijani citizens to
further expand their global reach, attracting increased numbers of tourists and
creating more opportunities for business travellers."
Etihad Airways has appointed
Saeed Mohammad Ahmed as its Country Manager Azerbaijan. A UAE national, he is
an experienced aviation professional whose previous role with the airline was
Business Development Manager for the US based in Chicago. In his new position
he will be responsible for the strategic and commercial success of the new
route, and for developing business relationships with key Azerbaijani
corporations and the travel industry.
Flying
three times a week using a 136-seat Airbus A320, configured with 16 seats in
Business Class and 120 in Economy Class, the new flights will operate every
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, providing optimal daylight timings for guests
departing and arriving in Abu Dhabi and Baku. The schedule provides convenient
connections to and from the airline’s global network and has been timed evenly
throughout the week to provide a mix of weekend, short stay and business travel
options.
Schedule
Flight No.
|
Origin
|
Departs
|
Dest
|
Arrives
|
Freq
|
Aircraft
|
EY297
|
Abu Dhabi
|
10:10
|
Baku
|
13:15
|
Wed, Fri, Sat
|
A320
|
EY298
|
Baku
|
16:30
|
Abu Dhabi
|
19:25
|
Wed, Fri, Sat
|
A320
|