There is a publication on the Internet about a scandal at Baku Airport that happened to Iron Maiden, the well-known British rock group. The group was going to India and made a stop for refueling. This is what the manager of the group Rod Smallwood wrote about the incident at Baku airport.

The permanent address of the article is: http://www.ironmaiden.com/index.php?categoryid=73&p2_articleid=763 

  “We arrived in Baku to refuel. Whilst on the ground, Bruce did an interview in the cockpit with Sky News. As re-fuelling progressed the local airport staff came on the plane and started asking for payments for other services on top of the fuel and handling fees which had been agreed. Bruce asked what other services, and was told "Weather Information". "But we didn't need or have any," says Bruce. This got a blank look. And this was after we gave them the signed autographs! I can tell this tour will have a bit of the Wild West about it -- great!!! We had also ordered 200 cans of beer, the small ones, to restock the second leg -- they brought them on board and gave us a bill for $1600!! Four pound-sterling - at an airport duty free! Bruce's Yorkshire blood boiled and he told them to be off and take them away. Iron Maiden are very generous but no one takes the piss. I doubt we will ever play in Azerbaijan -- the whole stop must have been at least 40 min longer than necessary. And we certainly didn't give in to their demands!!”

We can add to his voice the numerous complaints of foreigners who are required to get their visa at Baku airport. Most of them are shocked when someone approaches them openly and offers to expedite getting a visa --- for $100. Those who reject such services have to wait for one or two hours. Commenting on this information, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry press service head, Elkhan Polukhov, said that no one had complained to the Foreign Ministry about it.

“If someone is not happy, they should appeal and the case will be considered. Issuing a visa does not take a few minutes; documents must be checked and this procedure takes time. Besides, there is a VIP service for those who want to expedite getting their visa, Polukov said.

Ten years ago, Heydar Aliyev held a special session in which he sharply criticized Baku Airport services. Numerous foreigners were complaining about open extortion and bad service. It seems that very little has changed since then, except the name of the airport.

Source: Turan