US designates three Iranian B747s for Russia flights

The United States Department of Commerce has added add three Iranian B747s to its export restrictions list citing their recent flights to Russia.

The US administration alleges that the three aircraft were involved in transporting sanctioned goods, including electronics, to Russia. Operating flights to Russia alone is not grounds for US sanctions.

The trio are:

• B747-200C(M) EP-ICD (msn 24134) operated by IranAir,

• B747-200FSCD EP-FAA (msn 23502) operated by Qeshm Fars Air, and

• B747-400 EP-MEE (msn 24383) operated by Mahan Air.

Each of the aircraft has been tracked flying to/from Moscow Sheremetyevo in September 2022.

IranAir and all of its aircraft, including EP-ICD, have been sanctioned by the US since 2018. Notionally privately-owned Mahan Air has been designated since 2011 for its alleged ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force, but EP-MEE is not specifically designated. Qeshm Fars Air was subsequently designated in 2019 as a subsidiary of Mahan Air. EP-FAA is included on the list of secondary sanctions.

CH Aviation

Iran Air W20 European network adjustment as of 14OCT20

Iran Air in recent schedule update further revised planned operation to Europe. Latest adjustment as of 14OCT20 as follows.

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Barcelona eff 01DEC20 2 weekly A330, new route (Previously scheduled from 27OCT20)

IR735 IKA0815 – 1200BCN 330 26

IR734 BCN1335 – 2145IKA 330 26


Tehran Imam Khomeini – Dusseldorf eff 02DEC20 2 weekly A330, new route (Previously scheduled from 25OCT20)

IR737 IKA0620 – 1000DUS 330 37

IR736 DUS1130 – 1920IKA 330 37


Tehran Imam Khomeini – Gothenburg 1 weekly service removed from 25OCT20 to 30NOV20
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Manchester Previously filed 1 weekly flight during winter season removed

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Paris CDG Planned schedule change reversed. 2 weekly A330 departs Tehran in morning hours (Previous plan: 1 of 2 weekly moves to late-afternoon departure from Tehran, late-night from Paris)

IR733 IKA0900 – 1245CDG 330 15

IR732 CDG1415 – 2230IKA 330 15

By Jim Liu

IranAir resumes European ops

After lobbying by chief executive Touraj Zanganeh, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, IranAir (IR, Tehran Mehrabad) has resumed flights to Europe less than three days after they were initially suspended for reasons unspecified. At the time the termination of flights was announced on Sunday, March 8, the secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines, Asadani Samani, claimed that the "unknown reasons" were a result of US sanctions rather than COVID-19 restrictions.

In a brief statement issued on March 10, IranAir said that all European flights, except those to Vienna, Stockholm Arlanda, and Gothenburg Landvetter which have stopped flights due to restrictions imposed resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak, would resume normal service effective March 11.

In February, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) expressed concern that the two A330-200s and sole A321-200 IranAir had deployed on its European services were not using the latest software updates. As a result, the airline elected to withdraw the use of the aircraft, maintaining its European flying programme with its fleet of four A300-600s and two A310-300s. However, following the brief suspension, ch-aviation analysis of Flightradar24 ADS-B data shows flight IR721 from Tehran Imam Khomeini to Frankfurt Int'l on March 11 operated using A320-200 EP-IEE (msn 303) and with what appears to have been a technical stop at Rimini, Italy on both the inbound and outbound sectors.
CH Aviation


According to the ch-aviation schedules module, Iran Air's EU network entails flights from Tehran Imam Khomeini to Amsterdam Schiphol (2x weekly), Cologne/Bonn (1x weekly), Frankfurt (3x weekly), Gothenburg (1x weekly), Hamburg Helmut Schmidt (2x weekly), London Heathrow (3x weekly), Milan Malpensa (2x weekly), Paris CDG (2x weekly), Stockholm Arlanda (2x weekly) and Vienna (2x

IRAN AIR / A320-200 - EP-IEE

Ton Jochems - AMS

Iran Air moves forward A330 Amsterdam service to late-Sep 2018

Iran Air in the last few days further revised planned operational aircraft for Tehran Imam Khomeini – Amsterdam route. Planned Airbus A330-200 service entry is now scheduled from 20SEP18, instead of 28OCT18, replacing Airbus A300.

Following schedule is effective 23SEP18 – 25OCT18.

IR725 IKA0745 – 1200AMS 330 47
IR724 AMS1400 – 2055IKA 330 47

By Jim Liu

Iran Air has initiated a new domestic route this week.

Started on 7 March, the airline began a twice-weekly (Wednesdays and Sundays) service linking Bandar Abbas (BND) and Jask (JSK). The carrier will utilise its ATR 72 fleet on the 224-kilometre sector. According OAG schedules, this will become the airline’s 11th domestic route from Bandar Abbas, but its first to Jask. The route does not face any direct competition.

Anna

Photo:Alain Charpentier - TLS

Iran Air files network expansion in S18

Iran Air last week in the GDS and OAG filed various new and resumed sectors scheduled for summer 2018 season, including Europe and regional routes. Based on preliminary filing, planned operation as follows.

Mashad – Baghdad eff 29MAR18 1 weekly A300
IR5305 MHD2130 – 2230BGW AB3 4
IR5304 BGW1010 – 1415MHD AB3 4

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Belgrade eff 27MAR18 2 weekly A320
IR745 IKA0930 – 1135BEG 320 26
IR744 BEG1235 – 1905IKA 320 26

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Budapest eff 31MAR18 1 weekly A300
IR753 IKA1945 – 2145BUD AB6 6
IR752 BUD2315 – 0555+1IKA AB6 6

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Malmo eff 31MAR18 1 weekly A300
IR763 IKA0630 – 0940MMX AB6 6
IR762 MMX1110 – 1910IKA AB6 6

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Moscow Sheremetyevo eff 18MAR18 Service resumption, Bi-weekly A320 on Sundays
IR743 IKA0635 – 0920SVO 320
IR742 SVO1040 – 1605IKA 320

Tehran Imam Khomeini – St. Petersburg eff 25MAR18 Bi-weekly A320 on Sundays
IR741 IKA0635 – 0950LED 320
IR740 LED1050 – 1640IKA 320

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Tbilisi eff 27MAR18 2 weekly A320

IR747 IKA2035 – 2155TBS 320 26
IR746 TBS2255 – 0110+1IKA 320 26

By Jim Liu - Routesonline

Iran Air W17 London aircraft changes

Iran Air recently extended Airbus A330 operational schedule on Tehran Imam Khomeini – London Heathrow route, based on schedule listing on the airline’s website. The A330 is currently scheduled to operate 3 weekly flights until 21NOV17, switching back to A300 from 23NOV17.

IR711 IKA0740 – 1045LHR 332 247

IR710 LHR1600 – 0135+1IKA 332 247
Operational aircraft remains subject to change.

By Jim Liu - Routes Online

Iran Air W17 Europe service update as of 29SEP17

Iran Air in latest schedule update filed additional changes for its planned European service, for winter 2017/18 season. Latest update s follow.

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Copenhagen eff 04NOV17 Proposed service resumption, 1 weekly with A300. This route was last served in May 2013

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Vienna eff 01NOV17 Increase from 1 to 2 weekly (Day 36), A300 operating

Note operational aircraft listed above may also served by Airbus A310.
Previously reported changes. Routes listed below is operated by A330:
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Frankfurt eff 30OCT17 Increase from 3 to 4 weekly (Day x247)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Goteburg eff 30OCT17 Increase from 1 to 2 weekly (Day 14)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Stockholm Arlanda eff 29OCT17 Increase from 2 to 3 weekly (Day 367)

By Jim Liu - Routes Online

IRAN AIR - ATR 72-600 - F-WWET msn 1424

Alain Charpentier - TLS

Iran Air Sep 2017 London aircraft changes

Iran Air in recent schedule update adjusted planned operational aircraft for Tehran Imam Khomeini – London Heathrow route, for the month of September 2017. Schedule listing currently shows 3 weekly Airbus A310 operation, instead of A330, however actual operation since 29AUG17 indicated it was served by Airbus A300 aircraft.

Planned schedule for 07SEP17 – 21SEP17 as follow.
IR711 IKA0900 – 1145LHR 313 247
IR710 LHR1700 – 0230+1IKA 313 247
By Jim Liu

Iran Air Aug/Sep 2017 London aircraft changes

Iran Air in latest schedule update reflected the airline’s plan for operational aircraft changes on Tehran Imam Khomeini – London Heathrow route, currently served by Airbus A300-600. Based on current schedule listing, the airline’s 3 weekly service will be operated by A330 from 10AUG17 to 26SEP17, except 29AUG17 – 05SEP17.


IR711 IKA0900 – 1145LHR 330 247
IR710 LHR1700 – 0230+1IKA 330 247

By Jim Liu - Routes Online

Iran Air Aug/Sep 2017 Europe aircraft changes

Iran Air this week filed additional aircraft changes for its European service, including additional route introduction for the A321 and A330-200 aircraft. Currently these new aircraft is scheduled until late-September 2017, further adjustment is possible.


Tehran Imam Khomeini – Amsterdam 03AUG17 – 24SEP17 A321 replaces A300, 2 weekly (Day 47)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Cologne 04AUG17 – 22SEP17 A330 replaces A300, 1 weekly (Day 5)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Istanbul Ataturk 31JUL17 – 20SEP17 2 of 3 weekly service A321 replaces A320 (Day 13)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Milan Malpensa 01AUG17 – 22SEP17 A321 replaces A300, 2 weekly (Day 25)
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Rome 23AUG17 A321 replaces A300, one-time service
Tehran Imam Khomeini – Vienna 05AUG17 – 23SEP17 A321 replaces A300, 1 weekly (Day 6)
Jim Liu - Routes Online

Iran Air expands A330 European service in July 2017

Iran Air this month is expanding A330 service to Europe, which will be scheduled on selected German routes on permanent basis, instead of one-time changes. Planned new A330 routes as follow.

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Frankfurt eff 22JUL17 3 weekly
IR721 IKA0720 – 1020FRA 330 136
IR720 FRA1200 – 1950IKA 330 136


Tehran Imam Khomeini – Hamburg eff 06JUL17 2 weekly
IR723 IKA0740 – 1040HAM 330 47
IR722 HAM1220 – 2010IKA 330 47
By Jim Liu - Airline Routes

Iran Air takes delivery of its first four ATR 72-600s

Iran enters an era of renewal and expansion of its regional network connectivity

Toulouse, May 16th, 2017 – Iran Air, Iran’s national flag carrier, today took delivery of its first four ATR 72-600s. ATR and Iran Air signed earlier this year a firm contract for 20 ATR 72-600s and options for a further 20. Deliveries of the 20 firm aircraft will extend until the end of 2018.

Following the relief on international sanctions on Iran, there is a major need to modernise and develop air transportation to boost local economies throughout the country and improve connectivity between the regions. Iran relies on a strong domestic infrastructure, that numbers 60 airports that the ATRs are fully capable of serving. The ATR 72-600 is ideal for operations in many types of challenging environments, including small airfields, unpaved runways and mountainous regions. The ATR 72-600 will form the core of the regional aircraft of the Iran Air fleet and will substantially contribute to the expansion and development of the services provided by the national airline across the country.
Christian Scherer, Chief Executive Officer of ATR, declared: "There are still historical moments in aviation, and this is one of them. We are proud and gratified that our ATR aircraft are providing the solution to Iran's significant needs in regional connectivity. As Iran's travelling public gains access to increased supply of air transportation, it will benefit from the highest standards of comfort, efficiency and reliability with the ATR´s we are delivering today and over the coming months. We salute Iran Air for their choice in our favour and the tremendous role they play in their country."
Farhad Parvaresh, Chief Executive Officer of Iran Air, commented: “Our new fleet of ATR 72-600s showcases our will to provide newest generation aircraft to our customers, therefore ensuring comfort, reliability and competitiveness. Strengthening the links between all our communities will encourage new business opportunities for everyone.”
Iran is also expected to be the Middle East’s next big tourism destination. This freshly open market, along with the currently existing significant religious traffic, will develop connectivity domestically as well as towards neighbouring countries in the years to come. The country’s air services will require the highest standards of comfort as well as operational flexibility.

Iran Air begins regular A330 Europe service from May 2017

Iran Air this week outlined planned Airbus A330 scheduled service to Europe, set to commence in May 2017. The A330 will be service France and Sweden initially, replacing Airbus A300-600R.

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Gothenburg eff 01MAY17 1 weekly

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Pairs Orly eff 02MAY17 2 weekly

Tehran Imam Khomeini – Stockholm Arlanda eff 03MAY17 2 weekly

A330 operation is now reflected in the airline’s schedule listing, although service entry date remains subject to change. Current schedule update is listed until 28OCT17 inclusi
By Jim Liu - Airline Routes

Photo:Alain Chaepentier - TLS

Iran Air resumes B747 Combi operations

Iran Air (IR, Tehran Mehrabad) has resumed B747 Combi operations as of last week. According to Skyliner Aviation, the carrier returned B747-200(M) EP-ICD (msn 24134) to service on April 8 following an extended period of inactivity. Configured as a freighter, the near thirty-year-old quadjet was used on a Tehran Imam Khomeini-Dubai World Central return service.

ch aviation

IRAN AIR - A330-200 - F-WHUR

Alain Charpentier - TLS

Iran Air receives its first A330-200 as fleet upgrade continues

Iran Air has taken delivery of its first new A330-200.

The delivery of the aircraft is part of Iran Air’s major fleet renewal plan, and is the first wide body from a firm order placed by the national carrier of Iran in December 2016 for 100 Airbus aircraft (46 single aisle and 54 wide-body jets) to renew and expand its fleet with new aircraft.

Iran Air’s A330-200 features a two class cabin layout, seating 32 passengers in business and 206 in economy.

The delivery, which took place at the Airbus delivery centre in Toulouse, marks yet another milestone for Iran Air, as it celebrates its 56 anniversary since establishment.

The A330 Family includes Freighter, VIP, and has now attracted more than 1,500 orders. Over 1,100 A330 Family aircraft are flying with more than 100 operators worldwide. The A330 is one of the world’s most efficient aircraft with best in class operating economics.

Iran Reaches Lease Financing Deal For 77 Boeing, Airbus Planes

Tehran has reached a deal with an international aircraft leasing company to finance the acquisition of 77 planes from Boeing and Airbus, according to local media reports.

Details of the deal remain opaque at this stage and it is not clear who it has been signed with or when it will come into force. However, it is likely to be just the first of several large contracts in the coming weeks and months.
Tehran has signed deals for 100 planes from Airbus, a further 80 from Boeing and 40 turboprops from French/Italian manufacturer ATR. Local airlines have also held discussions with Russia’s Sukhoi and Brazil’s Embraer. All of the deals need to be financed in some way.

Irish leasing companies appear to be in a strong position to get involved in any contracts being negotiated. Ireland is one of the world’s leading locations for aircraft leasing companies and, on February 11, the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAOI) signed a cooperation agreement with the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), covering aircraft leasing, flight supervision and maintenance and repair among other areas.

The CAOI said at the time that “within the framework of the deal, Iranian airlines would be able to operate European-registered aircrafts; in other words, based on their scope of activities, the airlines can sign contracts with Irish airlines or leasing companies.”

Iran Aseman Airlines is set to be one of the first to take advantage of that agreement. It is planning to lease seven Airbus A320neo aircraft and “the terms of this contract [with the IAA] will apply as soon as these aircrafts land in Iran after being registered in Ireland,” according to the CAOI.

Among the Irish leasing companies linked to possible Iranian deals has been Avalon, which is owned by China’s Bohai Leasing. The Irish Times reported on February 11 that Avalon’s chief commercial officer John Higgins had spoken about a recent trip to Iran when addressing an event held by the Ireland China Business Association a day earlier.

Photo:Alain Charpentier - TLS