British Airways Resumes Flights to Tehran Starting July

British Airways announced on Wednesday, February 3, that its planes will resume flights to Iran starting July 14, following the lifting of sanctions. The airline stated on its website that Boeing 777 aircraft will operate six days a week on the London-Tehran route. Neil Catterall, the airline's network program manager, said, 'Iran is a large country with a growing economy, and Tehran is an excellent city for business purposes, so we are very eager to open a new route in our flights to the Middle East.' The report continues by noting that the company has a long history of cooperation with Iran, having made its first flight to Tehran in 1956. British Airways also highlighted the tourist attractions and historical and architectural treasures in Iran, stating that Iran will be a popular destination for foreigners this year. Previously, Mohammad Khodakarami, the Deputy for Aviation Operations and International Affairs of the Civil Aviation Organization, told ISNA that representatives of British Airways traveled to Iran on January 25 to express readiness for launching direct flights from London to Tehran. Khodakarami stated that currently, direct flights between Tehran and London are operated by Iran Air (Homa) and mentioned that British Airways had suspended its direct flights to Iran about 4-5 years ago due to sanctions. This Iranian official had earlier told the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development's news agency that 'Air France, KLM, and British Airways have expressed their readiness to launch their flights through correspondence and meetings with the Civil Aviation Organization, and they will start their flights to our country in the next two to three months.'