BAKU, Azerbaijan, Mar. 29
By Elnur Baghishov – Trend:
Iran will introduce incentive packages for airlines in order to increase the use of its airspace in the current Iranian year (from March 21, 2021 through March 20, 2022), the Iranian Minister of Roads and Urban Development Mohammad Eslami said, Trend reports citing the ministry.
According to him, these incentive packages will create strong competition in the airline sector.
Eslami said that a number of problems (economic situation, the spread of coronavirus pandemic, sanctions) have reduced the number of planes flying over Iran. In return, Iran offered discounts to airlines by issuing the necessary legal permits.
The minister added that in this way, Iran is trying to compensate for part of the damage to the airline sector.
Reportedly, Iranian airlines suffered a financial loss of 20 trillion rials (about $476 million) within the first six months of last Iranian year (March 20 through September 21, 2020).
A total of 52,100 flights were performed over Iran during the first seven months of last Iranian year (March 20 through October 21, 2020). This is a decrease of 71.8 percent compared to the same period last Iranian year.
The Head of Iran Airports and Air Navigation Company (IAC) Siavash Amir Mokri recently said that before the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and the crash of a Ukrainian plane in Iran, daily 700-800 flights were performed over Iran. However, this figure has dropped to 130 flights daily since the beginning of the pandemic.