Saturday, Aug 27, 2016

Dubai: European airline KLM is to resume flights to Tehran in October, the latest international airline to restart flights to Iran since January’s historic nuclear accord.

A number of major international airlines have indicated they would resume flights to Tehran following the landmark agreement with six major powers — the US, the UK, France, Russia, China and Germany.

KLM will operate four weekly flights to Tehran from Amsterdam from October 30, the airline said in a statement.

Partner Air France resumed services in April this year. KLM said it suspended direct flights to Iran in April 2013. Tehran will be the airline’s 14th new destination this year, it said.

European airlines have slowly been returning to Iran in recent years. Austrian Airlines returned in 2014 whilst Lufthansa and Alitalia never stopped flying to the country.

Earlier this year, British Airways pushed back its plans to relaunch flights to Tehran to February 2017 due to “technical issues.” It had planned to launch flights in July this year and suspended flights in 2012.

Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have all expanded in Iran in recent years with the launch of flights to new destinations.

Staff Report

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