Page 84 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2017 Online Magazine

FEATURE REGIONAL AIRLINES
While early days yet, Iran has the
potential to grow into a sizeable
market for regional transport
aircraft. Iran Air has placed firm
orders for 20 ATR airplanes with
options for twenty more
84 ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017
Class (12), Business Class (36) and Economy Iran Air
Class (242). The airline has taken delivery of January 11, 2016 marked the delivery of the
five airplanes out of a total of 10 on order and first brand-new western made jetliner to
deliveries will be completed in 2017. Saudia Iran, marking the end of decades of isolation.
has also commenced revenue operations The national carrier of Iran took delivery
with its new Airbus A320ceo single-aisle of the 189 seater Airbus A321 following the
airliners, which were inducted in December conclusion of a deal to acquire 100 jetliners
2016. The aircraft are configured in a 144- from Airbus. The delivery schedule of the
seat layout, including 12 Business Class seats remaining aircraft on order for 45 A320
and 132 Economy Class seats. The A320ceo’s Family airplanes, 36 A330s and 16 A350s has
feature touch screen In Flight Entertainment yet to be announced. Two additional A330s
(IFE) displays, Internet and wi-fi services have been procured by Airbus from a third
will also be available and live TV channels party and will be delivered to Iran later, said
will be available from mid-2017. As part of Airbus Chief Operating Officer (COO) John
its effort to reduce the average aircraft age Leahy. “We brought the airplanes back from
of its fleet to less than four years, Saudia a third party who had purchased them a few
phased out its entire fleet of Embraer E170 years back. They are a couple of years old
regional jets towards the end of 2016. The but have not seen commercial service.” Iran’s
E170s were inducted into revenue service orders for the Airbus jetliners at catalogue
with Saudia starting from 2005. Nine other prices are worth approximately US$19
widebody jetliners were also phased out in billion, however, senior Iranian officials have
2016; four Boeing 747-400s and five Boeing been quoted in the media as stating that Iran
777-200s. Saudia plans to retire from its fleet will pay US$10 billion for the jetliners. Senior
an additional 18 B777-200s and seven first Airbus officials acknowledge that much
generation of A320s in 2017. remains to be done to secure the orders
WWW.GBP.COM.SG/AAA