Salary of Aviators Declines amid Rising Investment in Civil Aviation

In 2014, the volume of commissioned fixed assets in the aviation sector was about as much as was recorded in the previous seven years.

According to the State Statistics Committee, last year fixed assets totaling 619.3 million mantas were put into operation, most probably including the new Baku airport terminal, the new airliners of CJSC Azerbaijan Airlines, LLC Silk Way West and others.

This year alone, the airline Silk Way Business Aviation, which is part of Silk Way Group, purchased and delivered to Baku two oversized high-speed business jets Gulfstream G650 (March, June). Currently, the park of Silk Way Business Aviation has Gulfstream aircraft of eight different types. In addition to Gulfstream, there are also a Boeing 727-251 jet and a regional turboprop ATR-42-500 VIP configuration, the report said (http://businessaviation.az/news/novosti-kompanii/dostavlen-vtoroy-g650.html).

In addition, in May this year the Silk Way Airlines announced an agreement on the purchase of 10 transport aircraft of medium power type An-178 from Ukraine (http://www.silkwayairlines.com/index.php/az/haqq-m-zda/xeberler-ve-yenilikler-az/235-az-rbaycan-ukraynadan-10-d-d-an-178-t-yyar-si-alacaq).

In 2007-2014 public and private investment in the aviation sector totaled 1 billion 254 million manats. AZAL and Silk Way Group have not disclosed details about the investment.

It is remarkable that against the background of increased investment the employment of civil aviation workers also increases. In 2014, over 1,050 people were hired and the number of new employees working in the field approached to 12.1 thousand. At the same time, the average wages of the aviation workers have been declining since 2013. In 2012 the aviators received an average 985.2 manat per month, but in 2013 the wages decreased by 152.1 manat, and in 2014 (relative to 2013) – by 43.8 manats. --08B-