In addition to its previous order for 12 Airbus A320neo family planes, Azerbaijan Airlines has placed a second order for eight Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners.
The Azerbaijani carrier ordered the smallest 787 models, the -8, according to a 2023 order announcement from Boeing. According to the manufacturer, these orders were previously attributed to an unidentified customer(s) in Boeing’s Order & Deliveries files.
Currently, two Boeing 787-8s that were delivered brand-new to Azerbaijan Airlines in 2014 are in service with the airline. The Azeri airline signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for four 787-8 aircraft during the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2022. The four aircraft will be delivered to Azerbaijan Airlines between 2025 and 2030.
The order for eight 787s was then finalized and announced in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“The 787 has helped position Azerbaijan Airlines as the leading carrier across Central Asia, with the airplane’s flexibility and capability opening Azerbaijan up to increased tourism and economic growth,” said Stan Deal, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA) on April 28, 2023.
The airline purchased three of the type in February 2007 according to Boeing’s Orders & Deliveries data as of March 31, 2023. There are a total of 13 orders from Azerbaijan Airlines listed on the manufacturer’s page, with the most recent order being for a single Boeing 777-200LR in October 2018.
Azerbaijan Airlines said that it had made a contract with Airbus to purchase six A320neo and six A321neo aircraft at the beginning of April 2023.
The flag carrier of Azerbaijan currently flies 34 aircraft, 12 of which are in storage or undergoing maintenance, according to statistics from ch-aviation.com. The airline received one A320neo in November 2022 and two more the following month, bringing the fleet’s average age to 12.6 years.
