A monitoring mission has been conducted at Heydar Aliyev International Airport to assess the equality of access to taxi services. As Bizimyol.info reports, the Office of the Ombudsman released a statement noting that the new regulations have led to artificial price inflation, restricted passenger choice, unequal conditions for licensed taxi providers, economic losses for drivers, and growing public discontent.

According to the Ombudsman’s Office, the newly implemented pricing policy violates Article 25 (Right to Equality) and Article 59 (Freedom of Entrepreneurship) of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as provisions of the Competition Code.

“Public Transport Accessibility Must Be Improved”

Transport expert Rauf Ağamirzayev, speaking to Bizimyol.info, emphasized the need to enhance the accessibility of public transportation:

“Right now, the H1 bus route connects the airport with ‘28 May’ and ‘Koroğlu’ stations. But Baku is a large city, and there is a clear need for additional routes from other directions — for example, from ‘Əhmədli’ and later toward ‘20 Yanvar’. These could use the existing concrete road infrastructure, just as express buses already run regularly to Sumqayıt.

Likewise, routes should be established toward nearby settlements such as Binə and Mərdəkan, where most airport employees actually live. At present, people arriving on flights often have no choice but to take a taxi.”

“New Routes Could Reduce Reliance on Taxis”

According to Ağamirzayev, connecting the airport to more parts of the city by bus would significantly reduce the dependence on taxis:

“The latest taxi regulations directly affect people’s finances. Service buses currently run only in the morning and evening, which means aviation workers are now facing additional commuting costs.

Even the nearby Aviation Academy has no direct public transport link to the airport. So, travelers must either rely on the limited H1 route — which has few stops and covers only one direction — or take a taxi. But now, ‘economy class’ taxis face restricted access to the airport. Only higher-tier aggregators like Uber, Bolt, and Yango are allowed entry besides the state-run Baku Taxi. Their prices were already high, and although they haven’t officially increased, the exclusion of lower-cost taxis has further limited affordability.”

He suggested two key steps for addressing the issue:

“First, establish new bus routes from different parts of the city to the airport to reduce dependence on taxis.
Second, ensure that taxi services are available in different classes and price ranges, since not everyone has the same income. Fares must be set in line with citizens’ financial capabilities.”

“Fast and Affordable Access Must Be the Goal”

Ağamirzayev also pointed out that the ongoing urban mobility transformation program, launched last year, already includes the creation of dedicated bus lanes, which could be extended to the airport:

“These lanes help express buses move freely without getting stuck in traffic. On the concrete highway, no separate lane is even needed — it’s already clear. But along ‘8 Noyabr Avenue,’ the new bus lane toward ‘Əhmədli’ is a very important step. The same applies to Ziya Bünyadov Avenue. These routes should operate 24/7, especially to provide uninterrupted public transport access between the airport and the ‘20 Yanvar’ area.

Binə and Mərdəkan are located along open highways where congestion is minimal. If public transport connections are established, fast and affordable travel from various parts of the city to the airport will finally become possible.”

Günel Həsənova, Bizimyol.info