Iran moves quickly to modernize its fleet
It didn’t take long after the sanctions against Iran were lifted: the country has made a provisional deal with Airbus to buy eight A-380 aircraft to be delivered from 2019, according to the deputy transport minister Asghar Fakhrieh Kashan quoted by Reuters this Sunday (24 January).
The tentative deal with Airbus, which the ministry hopes to complete this week, was struck for a total 127 aircraft. It also includes 16 A350s, the deputy transport minister said in an interview on the sidelines of the CAPA aviation conference in Tehran. The order would also include A320, A330 and A340 aircraft to be delivered between 2016 and 2022.
He also said Iran was interested in regional aircraft including Mitsubishi’s MRJ and Canada’s Bombardier CSeries and has had some contact with both companies. Iran has entered negotiations with ATR for 40 aircraft. Deliveries of the aircraft will be scheduled for 2016 and 2017.
Private Iranian airlines are also talking to Brazil’s Embraer and Russia’s Sukhoi.
A swift transition from one of the oldest fleets in the world to a very modern one!
Only Boeing seems to be absent from any deal with Iran. Iran has entered some “unofficial” discussions with Boeing, but no indication of the type of order was announced.
I understand them avoiding Boeing. Why would Iran want to deal with ‘The Great Satan?’
Boeing reps also visited Iran lately: http://www.luchtzak.be/airlines/iran-air/iran-air-boeing-reps-to-visit-iran-soon/