AZAL inks major deals with leading aircraft manufacturers
AZAL, the biggest Azerbaijani airline and national flag carrier, has held negotiations with major aircraft manufacturers as Boeing, Ilyushin, Antonov and others as part of the "Farnborough International Airshow - 2016" in Great Britain.
The Azerbaijani delegation was headed by AZAL President Jahangir Asgarov.
At a meeting with Boeing Senior Vice-President, Martin Benrott and Sales Director of the Corporation, Serdar Gurz the possibility of supply of 10 Boeing 737 MAX aircrafts in 2018-2020 was discussed. The sides also mulled the issue of the project financing .
The Azerbaijani side also held the third round of negotiations with Mikhail Gvozdev, head of the Board of the Corporation "Ukrainian Aircraft Manufacturing Company" and President of "Antonov" state enterprise, Alexander Kotsuba on the project of organization of manufacture and maintenance of An-178 transport aircrafts on the territory of Azerbaijan.
Furthermore, negotiations were held between Jahangir Asgarov and Director General of JSC Ilyushin Finance Co., Alexander Rubtsov on leasing of MC-21 aircrafts. In June the parties signed a letter of intent on leasing of 10 new MC-21 medium-range aircrafts. Delivery is scheduled for 2019-2020.
At this meeting a contract was also signed for financial lease of the world's largest serial cargo aircraft An-124-100 (Ruslan). The contract was signed by Silk Way Holding President Zaur Akhundov and. Alexander Rubtsov with the participation of Jahangir Asgarov and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slusar.
"Purchasing An-124-100 (Ruslan) aircraft will become a new stage of development of Azerbaijani civil aviation, will allow increasing competitive advantage and strengthening our country's position in the world air cargo transportation market.
Over the past 10 years, we have turned the Heydar Aliyev International Airport into a major air cargo transportation hub. Today, Azerbaijani civil aviation presented itself as an official airline of the Great Silk Road project connecting East and West. We make every effort to achieve the same success in passenger transportation," Jahangir Asgarov said.
Azerbaijan Airlines is a major air carrier and one of the leaders of the aviation community of CIS countries. AZAL with the newest airplane fleets, consisting of 25 airplanes, does not have a single old plane.
The total route network of AZAL, one of the aviation community leaders in the CIS area, includes 40 destinations in 19 countries.
Being an important member of the International Civil Aviation Organization Council, for its services AZAL received a prestigious "4 Stars" from the leader in air transport research, the world-famous British consulting company Skytrax last June.
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