AZAL Creates Appearance of Lower Prices

The statement of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) on its plans to open low-budget flights to several destinations from the 1st of August are received critically and with irony by the people. The reason is that there will not be actual discounts on the prices.

AZAL said that the price will be reduced on flights Baku - Antalya - Baku, Baku - Istanbul - Baku, Baku-Moscow - Baku and Baku - Dubai - Baku. At the same time, the price of a one-way will be 99 euros. However, for baggage at both ends one will have to pay another 100 dollars / euros and remain without a meal during the flight, or buy it for money.

Flights "Low-cost" (low-budget passenger services) will be carried out by planes Embraer, involving flight time of 2.5 hours.

However, on flights "low-cost" passengers can take up to 5 kg of luggage on board. For baggage weighing up to 23 kg they will have to pay another 50 dollars / euros each way. Passengers of these flights will be given only water, but not food.

The AZAL representative for Passenger Transportation Eldar Hajiyev said the company cannot set the price lower than the cost of the flight.

"In recent years we have opened many routes. However, AZAL may close some flights because of the losses," Hajiyev said, without specifying which ones.

"If a 106-seat airplane Embraer has less than 100 passengers, the flight will no longer pay for the expenses," said Hajiyev.

Note that currently flying to Moscow and back costs 465 manat. In the "low-cost" the price of a ticket will be 198 euros, and 100 euros for luggage, a total of about 300 euros or 345 manat. Savings will amount to about 100 euros. But the number of low-budget tickets will be limited.

Note that in Europe "low-cost" flights cost many times cheaper. For example, in the summer season a ticket from Strasburg to the Turkish resorts and back costs 99 euros. From Paris to London, it is only 50 euros. -03B-