Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 27
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran has supplied about 1.399 billion liters of fuel to domestic airlines during the first 11 months of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 21, 2014-Feb. 20).
The figure indicates an increase by nine percent compared to the same period of preceding year, Ali Harandi, head of the Head Office for Fueling Airlines, affiliated to National Oil Products Distribution Company said.
The official said that over 129.624 million liters of fuel were supplied to 16, 548 flights in eleventh Iranian calendar month (Jan. 20-Feb. 20).
The office delivered 121.164 million liters of fuel to about 16, 514 flights in the same month of last year, Harandi said, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported Feb. 27.
Oil ministry officials say Iranian airlines owe some 8 trillion rials (about $289 million based on official rate of 27,700 rials per each USD) to the National Iranian Oil Refining and Distribution Company (NIORDC).
After launching the Subsidy Reform Plan, the administration sharply increased jet fuel price for domestic passenger airlines.
The subsidy reform plan, launched in December 2010, allows the Iranian government to gradually slash subsidies on fuel, electricity, and certain goods over the course of five years.
Earlier the head of the association of Iranian airlines, Abdolreza Mousavi said that Iranian airlines are unable to pay off their fuel debts to the Oil Ministry due to their bad financial situation.
Many of the national fleet planes have been grounded due to financial problems, he said, adding that spare parts and components are purchased from second-hand sources due to international sanctions with great difficulty.
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