Baku, June 27, AZERTAC

Tickets sale for the Baku-Istanbul-Baku flights is launched on the website of the National Air Carrier of Azerbaijan (www.azal.az).

Starting from July 2nd to August 29th, AZAL will operate flights between Baku and Istanbul twice a week (on Thursdays and Saturdays).

It should be noted that apart from AZAL, starting from July 1, Turkish Airlines will also operate services between Baku and Istanbul twice per week (on Wednesdays and Fridays).

Thus, starting from July 1, the number of special flights between Baku and Istanbul will increase to be performed four times a week, thereby enabling students and citizens to return to Azerbaijan from other countries transiting through Istanbul.

In addition, AZAL will grant a 30% discount on flight tickets for Azerbaijani students studying abroad who have it stated on their immigration card. When purchasing a flight ticket on the AZAL website, students will need to send a copy of their immigration card to the airline’s call centre, whereupon they will be sent a link to pay for the value of a discount ticket. It is important to note that the original immigration card will also be required to be presented at the airport check-in counter. Without it, passengers will not be allowed to board the flights.

According to the new rules, only passengers who have passed coronavirus (COVID-19) test will be allowed to board the flights. A list of laboratories accredited by the Management Union of Medical Territorial Units (TABIB) can be found below:

- Inci Laboratories. Address: Bulbul Avenue, 40. Contact number: +994 51 229 49 80;

- Referans Clinical Laboratory Centre. Address: Mirzabala Mammadzade str. Contact number: +994 70 653 00 33;

- Memorial Clinic. Address: Gara Garayev Avenue, 38a. Contact number: +994 12 520 30 40.

As previously reported, when departing from Istanbul, at the airport check-in counter, you will need to present a certificate of negative COVID-19 test result issued by one of the clinics of the “Memorial Sağlık Grubu” or other clinics from the list available on website of the Ministry of Health of Turkey: https://covid19bilgi.saglik.gov.tr/tr/covid-19-yetkilendirilmis-tani-laboratuvarlari-listesi

Passengers returning from other countries via Istanbul may present a certificate of testing issued by a laboratory certified by the Ministry of Health (or other competent authority) of that country or by passing tests in one of the Turkish clinics from the list above.

In all cases, the test must be passed no later than 48 hours before the scheduled departure.

In accordance with the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan, all passengers arriving by these flights to Baku will have to self-isolate for two weeks. For this purpose, during the flight they are required to complete a declaration indicating the address of residence at which they can self-isolate. 8103 SMS permissions will not apply to these persons.

According to the new rules introduced by AZAL, only a woman’s hand bag, or a man’s briefcase, or a bag for a laptop with the dimensions not exceeding 30x35x10 cm (the bag should be used only for its intended purpose) are allowed as carry-on luggage. Other baggage including paper and plastic bags must be checked to be transported in the cargo hold of aircraft. Purchases made at Duty Free stores are also not allowed on board an aircraft.

“We remind you that on flights operated during the COVID-19 pandemic, special rules will apply both at the airport of departure and arrival and on board an aircraft,” AZAL said. "Azerbaijan Airlines" prepared a video instruction available at: https://youtu.be/Rbb_I0NsW7U