Dublin Airport recorded one of its most notable cargo movements of the winter season with the arrival of a Silk Way West Airlines Boeing 747-400F, a rare and eye-catching visitor for Ireland’s busiest international gateway.
The aircraft registered 4K-SW888 operating as flight AZQ1251, touched down in Dublin at 13:07 on St Stephen’s Day, having departed Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport. Following its Dublin stop, the Boeing 747-47RF continued to Shannon at 16:07, reflecting the carrier’s established use of Ireland as a strategic cargo waypoint. After a brief turnaround in Shannon, the freighter departed at 19:02 as flight AZQ1252, routing directly back to Baku.
Silk Way West Airlines established 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan operates a fleet of 13 Boeing 747-400F, Boeing 747-8F and Boeing 777F, enabling it to carry more than 500,000 tons of cargo annually. The carrier expects the delivery of two Boeing 777F, two Boeing 777-8F, and two Airbus A350F aircraft by 2030.
Image Credit: Elevationair
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 24 January 2026 All Rights Reserved