AZAL targets 10 million passengers by 2030
Azerbaijan Airlines plans to raise its passenger numbers to 10 million by 2030, fully renew its fleet and expand its network from about 53 destinations to 80, the carrier's commercial director Jamil Manizade said.
The share of transfer passengers is to reach 50% by then, he said.
Average seat occupancy at AZAL stood at 83% over eight months of 2026, Manizade said. Azerbaijani citizens account for about 40% of international traffic, foreigners flying into or out of the country for 20%, and transit passengers for the remaining 40%.
He named the infrastructure of the Baku airport as one of the constraints on growth. Carrying out all the plans with the existing capacity will be impossible, he said. He did not confirm any timeline for the construction of a third terminal.
AZAL's contract for aircraft leased together with crews from a Lithuanian carrier expires on Nov. 1, 2026, Manizade said in the program "Let's Talk?" with Hamid Hamidov, Vesti Baku reported. After that date the flights will be operated by the airline's own aircraft and crews.
The leased aircraft were needed after the pandemic, when demand recovered quickly and the airline lacked its own planes and crews to widen its route network, he said. AZAL has taken delivery of six aircraft since the start of 2026, and more are due.
Fare swings come from an automated revenue management system that takes into account the load of a flight, seasonality, competition, major events and shifts in demand for particular dates, Manizade said. Buying early usually helps find a better fare but does not guarantee the lowest one, since the price can rise or fall closer to departure.
He gave no general promise to cut fares on popular routes and said AZAL does not always seek to match low-cost carriers on price, preferring to compete on product, schedule and comfort, citing the Istanbul route.
On Buta Airways, Manizade said the fleet chosen for it did not suit a low-cost model: the 106-seat aircraft were cheaper per flight but costly per passenger, leaving the company either with losses or with fares at odds with the budget concept. Running two brands with a relatively small fleet added to the burden, and AZAL decided to concentrate on a full-service model.
The airline has been profitable since 2022 and has received no state investment since 2024, he said, while targeted subsidies for Nakhchivan flights remain in place.
AZAL is preparing a Students Club program for the whole route network, though Manizade did not disclose its terms and said the timing could shift. The call center, previously outsourced, has been moved inside the company, with a standard of answering 80% of calls within the first 20 seconds.
