Mysterious visit by an Azerbaijan Government G650

Recently, Christchurch airport received a unique visit from the Azerbaijan Government when a Gulfstream G650 touched down in the largest city in the South Island.

The Azerbaijan private jet landing into Christchurch | Photo: Luke Uprichard

On Saturday 14th of December, Christchurch international airport had a unique visitor from across on the other side of the world. The Gulfstream G650 owned by the Government of Azerbaijan touched down at 1:36pm after a 2:32 hour flight across the ditch from Tasmania.

The 10-year-old jet with the registration 4K-AI88 has been down under for the last week, making stops in Doha, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Hobart and now Christchurch.

The oil rich country has an extensive fleet of 8 aircraft used for government travel. These include a A340-600, 777-200LR, 767-300ER, A320-200, A319-115, G650, G550, and a G450.

It is currently unsure of who is onboard or what it is doing in New Zealand, but we can speculate it is a government official onboard the luxurious jet.

The Azerbaijan Government G650 | Photo: Dominik Kauer

The Gulfstream G650 is one of the most popular private jets in the world and has a range of 7000 nautical miles.

The Jet combines luxury and performance, offering a spacious cabin paired with cutting-edge technology, and the ability to fly nonstop between far away city pairs like Christchurch and the Middle East.

Recently, there has also been a private Chinese A319 jet in New Zealand, making stops in both Queenstown and Christchurch. The aircraft is operated by Deer Jet and the reason for its trip to New Zealand is currently unknown.