A 21st century, modern airport with hi-tech amenities, like WiFi, is a ‘must have’ these days for anyone flying, especially for those transatlantic, 15-hour flights whose difficulties are compounded by long stopovers. Increasingly, airports are becoming more than a gateway for travel, as millions pass through them each year and must meet the expectations of passenger demands.
Even the most grueling connecting flight can turn into a pleasurable experience if you have a place to indulge in a warm cup of hot chocolate, relax in a spa, or purchase a souvenir at the airport. And Baku’s Heydar Aliyev International Airport is no exception.
Between January and November of last year, the airport saw 3.75 million passengers pass through its gates, representing an almost 25 percent increase over figures for 2016. The top 10 most popular international destinations for travelers departing from what is the busiest airport in the Caucasus region include Moscow, Istanbul, Dubai, Kiev, Tehran, Antalya, Tbilisi, Baghdad, Doha and St. Petersburg, according to the airport’s press office.
Launched in 2014, Heydar Aliyev International came under the spotlight last year when it topped the list of the 13 most beautiful airports in the world, compiled by the U.S.-based architecture website Curbed.com.
Occupying a total area of 65,000 square meters (700,000 square feet), the complex, located just 20 km (12.5 mi) northeast of Baku, is shaped like a triangle with concave edges. As one of Azerbaijan’s six international airports, it can serve up to six million passengers per year.
Outside, the structure looks a lot like most modern airports – a mix of geometry and futurism fused from high-tech materials. The airport’s internal design is credited to the Turkish architectural studio Autoban, whose designers, inspired by what they describe as oriental hospitality, have given it a lively and unusual interior.
All four floors of the building are entwined with cocoon-shaped hemispheres made of oak veneer. These cocoons are home to cafes, bars, lounges, shopping booths and other airport facilities. Typical of airports are the duty-free shops near the arrival and departure gates, where customers are exempt from Azerbaijan’s Value Added Tax (VAT).
Heydar Aliyev International serves 30 airlines including Lufthansa, Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines and Azerbaijan’s national carrier AZAL, which became the first airline within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to purchase Boeing’s now-famous Dreamliner 787-8 jets, in 2014. Telescopic ladders located along the airports tarmacs can receive up to 12 aircraft simultaneously, while the two runways can receive the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380.
In 2017, Skytrax World Airport Awards ranked Heydar Aliyev International Airport among the top 10 airports within the CIS region, according to 13.82 million airport survey questionnaires completed by airline passengers from 105 different countries.
The airport also received the internationally recognized 4-Star Airport rating from Skytrax, which recognizes airports that perform well across the areas of product facilities and front-line staff service. Only 37 airports throughout the world have received the 4-star rating.
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