Air Arabia to launch flights to Baku

Sharjah-based low cost carrier Air Arabia has announced plans to launch flights to Azerbaijan’s capital city Baku early next year.

The airline will operate four weekly flights from its hub at the Sharjah International Airport hub from March 23, 2017.

The launch of the new flights follows a joint cooperation between Air Arabia, Azerbajian Airlines and local authorities aimed at promoting the new route, it said in a statement.

On Thursdays and Sundays, the flight will depart Sharjah at 07.55 and arrive at the Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku at 10.50 local time. The return flight will leave Baku at 11.30 and reach Sharjah at 14.10 local time.

On Tuesdays and Saturdays, the flight will depart from Sharjah at 14.55 to land in Baku at 17.50 local time, and make its return journey from Baku at 18.50 to land at Sharjah International Airport at 21.30 local time.

Air Arabia will join UAE carrier flydubai, which currently operates daily flights to Baku from Dubai.

Adel Al Ali, group CEO, Air Arabia, said: “Baku offers an exciting proposition as a gateway to witness the confluence of history and modern urbanism. By adding this emerging destination to our growing network, Air Arabia will facilitate greater trade and tourism between the two countries.”

The route also follows the lifting of advance visa requirements for GCC citizens travelling to Azerbaijan this year.

From February 1, nationals of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait are granted visas upon arrival in Azerbaijan. UAE citizens were granted a visa waiver in November last year.

The move was aimed at “increasing people-to-people contacts and promoting tourist visits and business ties”, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry said at the time.