Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, June 12, 2002
Iran Air Seeks to Purchase 10 New Airbus Jets
Iranian national carrier Iran Air is seeking to purchase 10 new Airbus passenger jets, worth of estimated 500 million U.S. dollars, by 2004, the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an Iran Air official as saying Tuesday.
Iranian national carrier Iran Air is seeking to purchase 10 new Airbus passenger jets, worth of estimated 500 million U.S. dollars, by 2004, the Iranian news agency IRNA quoted an Iran Air official as saying Tuesday.
"We are negotiating the purchase of 10 Airbus jets but still need to arrange the finance," Iran Air Chairman and Managing Director Davood Keshavarzian said. "We hope to finalize the deal next year."
The purchase will increase Iran Air's Airbus fleet to 23, more than its fleet of 15 Boeing, which were purchased before the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The airline's attempts to upgrade its fleet with Airbus jets have previously been prevented on several occasions by the U.S. sanctions on Iran, IRNA said.
As part of Iran Air's strategy to boost its international presence, the airline is planning to add new destinations to its current routes and increase the frequency of most flights.
"We hope to add new destinations such as Canada and Iraq soon," Keshavarzian said. "We also predict more demand on routes to the Far East and plan to increase the frequency to these destinations,"he added.
International flights account for more than 40 per cent of the airline's total income.