Temporary Farewell of Iran Air to Long-Distance Flights

Iran Air, which once had the longest air route in the world from Tehran to New York, has temporarily suspended all its long-distance flights due to the grounding of its Boeing 747 aircraft. The airline, which had flights to Latin America until a few years ago, has gradually reduced its long-distance services in recent years. Initially, it stopped its flights to Japan, followed by suspensions to Malaysia and China. This is noteworthy as East Asian countries, especially China and Malaysia, have the highest number of foreign long-distance travelers to Iran. Currently, part of this transportation is handled by Mahan Air and other Chinese companies, including AirAsia. Until recently, Iran Air had four Boeing 747 aircraft, which have been retired due to their age. It seems that out of these, only one, the SP model, will be able to return to Iran Air's fleet after several months of major repairs. Until then, Iran Air's flights to China and Malaysia will be halted, and its longest flight in Asia, operated by Airbus 300, is currently to India. The Boeing 747 has a significant history in Iran, and the technical crew and pilots of Iran Air are well acquainted with this aircraft. After Pan American, Iran Air was one of the first buyers of the 100 and 200 series of the 747. After this purchase, Iran Air's management realized they needed a longer-range aircraft than the standard 747 for direct flights between Iran and the United States, so they ordered the SP model from Boeing. With the arrival of the Boeing 747 SP, Iran Air began its direct flights between Tehran and New York, which was considered the longest non-stop flight in the world at the time. Currently, only Mahan Air has the capability for long-distance flights among Iranian airlines. This company has made the largest and most successful aircraft purchases in Iran in the past years by circumventing sanctions before they were lifted. At the beginning of 2015, Mahan Airlines introduced nine Airbus aircraft into its fleet, eight of which are Airbus 340 series 600, produced between 2001 and 2004, and one is an Airbus 321. One of the Airbus planes purchased by Mahan was previously owned by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Airbus A340-600 is one of several types of the 340 model. This model is a wide-body, four-engine passenger aircraft primarily used for transporting a large number of passengers over long distances and is available in three models: 300, 500, and 600. The 300 model is designed for routes over 13,700 kilometers and can carry 300 passengers on this distance. The 500 model, which is the longest-range version, can transport over 313 passengers over 16,668 kilometers. Singapore Airlines uses this model for its Singapore to Los Angeles route, which takes over 19 hours. The 600 model, the longest version of the 340, can carry 360 passengers in three classes or 419 passengers in two classes for routes over 14,000 kilometers. This aircraft is fuel-intensive due to its four engines, and many airlines worldwide now prefer the two-engine Airbus A330 instead of this model. However, Iran Air hopes that by purchasing new long-range Boeing and Airbus aircraft, it will not only surpass its domestic competitor Mahan but also compete with strong airlines in the Middle East. For this purpose, Iran Air has selected 73 models from a total of 118 purchased from Airbus to cover all routes in Europe and Asia. The long-range models proposed by Iran Air to Airbus include 45 Airbus 330 aircraft, 16 Airbus 350 aircraft, and 12 Airbus 380 aircraft; among these models, the 350 and 380 can cover very long distances to the Americas. From the 109 aircraft ordered from Boeing, 34 are also wide-body aircraft, including 4 Boeing 747 series 800, 15 Boeing 777-300 ER, and 15 Boeing 777-9. The 777 model is the longest-range aircraft in the world and has the highest safety ratings. Most airlines worldwide use the Boeing 777 for their longest-range aircraft. The Boeing 777 has a flight range of up to 17,000 kilometers. The series purchased by Iran includes 15 Boeing 777 series 300ER and 15 Boeing 777 series 900. The 300ER series has a flight capacity of 380 passengers in three classes with a flight range of 14,500 kilometers. The 900 series also has a capacity of 430 passengers in three classes with an operational range of 14,000 kilometers. In Iran Air's purchase list, the 747 models are likely to be delivered to Iran Air sooner than the other models. However, two issues still threaten Iran Air's long-distance flights: the first is the possibility of obstruction in the delivery of these aircraft to Iran Air, and the second relates to the delivery duration, which will take ten years. Therefore, the company cannot quickly revive many of the lost air routes. In this context, Mahan is purchasing four Boeing 747s. The U.S. State Department welcomed the agreement between Boeing and Iran Air, and a memorandum of understanding was signed between Iran Air and Boeing following the issuance of government permits. Boeing and Airbus are "waiting for the approval of the U.S. Treasury Department," and Iran is "in negotiations" with Boeing for aircraft purchases.