AZE: Azerbaijan Airlines J2 76 (Economy)
IST-GYD (2h 50m)
Airbus 320
ETD: 12.20pm (GMT + 3)
ETA: 4.10pm (GMT + 4)
The in-flight safety video was displayed through overhead screens.
ETD: 12.20pm (GMT + 3)
ETA: 4.10pm (GMT + 4)
Trying out a new airline is something that I always look forward to, so much so that I keep a record here in my travel blog. Even though I knew I'd be flying in a rather old aircraft, I was excited to hop aboard the flag carrier of Azerbaijan to its capital city, Baku. As a recap, Georgia is the first Caucasus country that I visited back in 2018, where I touched down at Tbilisi.
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AZE: Azerbaijan Airlines J2 76 (Economy) <YOU ARE HERE!>
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For the past five years, whenever I went to Istanbul, Turkey, it was to see my sister. It wasn't the case for this particular trip though. Anyway, I recall the check-in counters were opened about three hours before the scheduled departure time. The staff at the counter issued adhesive tags for cabin baggages.
My BFF and I had lots of time to explore the new Istanbul Airport.
We were glad to see that the Airbus 320 arrived at Gate E1 on time.
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| Is there any other airline having a tree livery besides Middle East Airlines, the flag carrier of Lebanon? |
The Airbus 320 of the airline features 20 recliner seats in 2-2 configuration in the Business Class cabin. I wasn't among the first few in the queue, but when I stepped into the aircraft, there wasn't anybody seated in that cabin yet.
The Economy Class cabin is equipped with 126 seats in 3-3 configuration.
I was seated at 23B towards the rear of the cabin.
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| Nobody wore mask inside the aircraft, so I decided to take out mine. |
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| I tried plugging in my earphone, but couldn't hear anything during the flight. |
As my BFF was seated at 23A, it was pretty convenient for me to take photos of the view outside.
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| I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to go to Iraq, at least to the Kurdistan Region. |
The cabin crew offered reading materials and some mints before take-off.
As usual, I did some plane spotting during taxi.
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| Iran Aseman Airlines is the third largest airline of the country. |
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| “Once you've tasted flight, you'll forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you've been, and there you'll always long to return.” ~ Leonardo da Vinci |
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the airline provided a hot towel service.
I was so full after the lunch onboard.
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| Lunch main course #1: Bulgur Pilaf with Chicken |
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| Lunch main course #2: Conchiglie Pasta with Beef |
The overhead screens simply only showed the flight information and nothing else.
As there wasn't any In-Flight Entertainment (IFE), Melon decided to spend the rest of the time enjoying the view.
I'd like to invite you to vicariously join Melon.
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| Even from a distance, I was thrilled to see snow-capped mountains again. |
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| Trivia: What's the world's largest inland body of water called? |
The aircraft touched down smoothly at Heydar Aliyev International Airport. Welcome to Azerbaijan, the Land of Fire!
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| A low-cost carrier, Buta Airways is a fully owned subsidiary of Azerbaijan Airlines. |
The queue for immigration clearance was pretty long, but it moved quickly. I was also glad to encounter a friendly officer who greeted me with a smile.
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| It took so long for the luggage to appear on the conveyor belt. |
"Where's Azerbaijan and what's there to see?" is a common question that I get from friends and colleagues. Stay tuned for a glimpse of the country in the upcoming posts!
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