ATR delivered five more 72-600s to national flag carrier Iran Air ahead of the re-imposition of government sanctions by the United States this week.
The five new turboprops left Toulouse in France on 4 August, travelling to Urmia in northern Iran for refuelling before then heading on to Tehran Mehrabad Airport. The aircraft are registered as EP-ITI, EP-ITJ, EP-ITK, EP-ITL and EP-ITM, and will be used to help the airline develop its regional network.
ATR still has a further seven aircraft to deliver from its existing original order of 20 that the airline placed in April 2017. The order was originally valued at US$536 million.
Last year Iran Air took delivery of three Airbus aircraft but has since not received any. The European manufacturer, co-owner of ATR along with Italy’s Leonardo, has an order backlog of 97 aircraft with the airline but has said it will not attempt to deliver any more at this time.
Iran has 60 domestic airports that the 68–78 seat ATRs are able to serve fully. The national flag carrier was formed in 1961 from the merger of Iranian Airways and Pars Airways.
Written by: Mark Thomas
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