Will the First Airbus Delivery Save Iran Air?

Iran Air's fleet has reached its worst state in history in terms of the number of aircraft this year, with long-haul flights temporarily suspended and severe shortages affecting its European flights, which are one of the company's main sources of profit. The company is also facing aircraft shortages for domestic flights. Now, with the delivery of 17 Airbus aircraft, which will be the first delivery of this company to Iran Air, will Iran Air be temporarily saved? According to a U.S. government license, Airbus is selling 17 aircraft to Iran in the first phase. Justin Dubon, a spokesman for Airbus, told the Associated Press on Wednesday, September 22, that these 17 aircraft are of the A320 and A330 models, for which the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department has issued a license for sale to Iran. But how capable are these two models and to what extent can they meet Iran Air's needs? The Airbus A330 can carry 330 passengers in two classes and has a flight range of 11,000 kilometers. The NEO model is the latest version of the A330, which has been in production since 2015, with a price of 239 million euros for the 900 series. This aircraft can carry 400 passengers and has a flight range of 12,000 kilometers. Currently, Iran Air's long-haul flights to East Asia have been halted due to the grounding of its Boeing 747s. The company, which had flights to Latin America until a few years ago, has gradually reduced its long-haul flights in recent years, first stopping its flights to Japan and then to Malaysia and China. Meanwhile, East Asian countries, especially China and Malaysia, have the highest number of foreign long-haul passengers heading to Iran. Currently, part of this transport is handled by Mahan Air and other Chinese companies and AirAsia. However, with the arrival of the A330 model, Iran Air can resume its East Asia flights. This aircraft can also meet some of Iran Air's and Iran's needs for transporting passengers between Iran and Europe for high-traffic cities like Paris or Milan. 30 to 40 percent of Iran's aviation industry's total demand is related to wide-body aircraft, and considering factors like price, range, number of seats, and Iran's airlines' familiarity with Airbus, the A330 is the best option for purchase in the wide-body aircraft category in Iran. The other model that Iran Air will initially receive is the A320. The Airbus A320 is a strong competitor to the Boeing 737 in global markets and is certainly either first or second in its class. This aircraft can carry between 120 to 160 passengers in various configurations. These aircraft can cover routes to provincial capitals in Iran and neighboring countries. The A320 can meet a significant portion of Iran's needs. Production of the A320 began in 1986, and the CEO A320 model is considered one of the latest models in this class. Airbus has announced that the engine used in this model, manufactured by the well-known Pratt & Whitney of the U.S., has 20 percent better performance than previous models. This aircraft can carry up to 150 passengers in two classes and has a flight range of up to 6,000 kilometers with one refueling, which can cover not only provincial capitals and neighboring countries but also low-density European flights for Iran Air. The price of this aircraft is 90 million euros. The NEO320 model is the most advanced version of the 320, which will begin production this year. The price of this aircraft is 98 million euros, and its capacity is 165 passengers in two classes. Fuel consumption in this aircraft has significantly decreased, and it utilizes smart flight systems to enhance passenger safety and comfort. The flight range of this aircraft has also increased by 1,000 kilometers compared to previous models, reaching 7,000 kilometers. This aircraft can even cover some low-passenger routes from Europe to Iran. Currently, the number of Iran Air's aircraft has reached 37. Without new aircraft being injected into this company's fleet, the main airline in Iran will gradually disappear. Meanwhile, following the nuclear agreement, the desire to travel to Iran has increased, and if Iran Air has aircraft and reforms its structure, such as its ticket sales system, it can escape this dire situation. However, the limited number of 17 Airbus aircraft and probably the same number from Boeing can only save this company from its current dire state. This company needs at least 200 aircraft deliveries and serious restructuring to compete with major airlines in the Middle East and to turn Iran into one of the transit hubs in the region.