Passenger traffic in Iranian airports registered a year-on-year rise of 41% in the current fiscal year’s first three months (March 21-June 21), as 8.16 million passengers were flown internally by Iranian airlines.
This is while Iran Airports Company’s data show the number of takeoffs and landings posted a 4% year-on-year fall during the period to 72,323.
The significant rise in passengers despite the decline in flights is because restrictions related to Covid-19 were eased after airlines had been enforcing social distancing to fend off the pandemic for over two years.
Over 69.12 million tons of cargo were shipped in Q1, marking a 46% year-on-year rise.
Tehran's Mehrabad International Airport accounted for 3.13 million of the total number of passengers, 39% more than in the corresponding period of last year.
Mashhad International Airport and Shiraz International Airport followed with 1.52 million and 580,786 passengers respectively.
Mehrabad handled 27,438 landings and takeoffs during the period, considerably higher than other Iranian airports.
The above figures pertain to domestic flights only, as IAC does not report on international traffic.
All international flights in Tehran are served by IKIA and all domestic flights by Mehrabad.
Monthly Review
During the month to June 21, a total of 2.78 million passengers were transported by Iranian airlines on domestic routes to register a 25% YOY rise.
Takeoffs and landings posted a 12% decline to 24,287. Over 21.97 million tons of cargos were handled during the period, 29% more than the previous year's 17.04 million tons.
Mehrabad International Airport accounted for 1.03 million of the total number of passengers, 20% higher than in the same period of last year.
Mashhad International Airport and Shiraz International Airport followed with 557,600 and 187,879 passengers, respectively.
Mehrabad handled 8,981 landings and takeoffs during the period, considerably higher than those of other Iranian airports.
Iranian airlines operated a total of 944 flights from Mashhad to Tehran during the month to June 21, transporting 129,706 passengers. The Mashhad-Tehran route topped the list of air routes with the highest passenger traffic.
A total of 121,840 passengers were flown from Tehran to Mashhad during the month under review via 937 direct flights.
Tehran-Shiraz route came next with the highest number of monthly flights, followed by Kish-Tehran and Tehran-Ahvaz operations.
Notably, flights operated during the month under review saw an average delay of 100 minutes.
Officials blame weather conditions for the delayed flights but, as ISNA reported, technical problems stemming from unilateral US sanctions that prohibit sales of spare parts are the main reason for the delayed flights.
Fiscal 2021-22 in Review
Domestic passenger traffic in Iranian airports registered a year-on-year rise of 24% in the fiscal 2021-22 (ended March 20), as 28.03 million passengers were flown internally by Iranian airlines during the period.
Takeoffs and landings posted a 17% year-on-year rise to 304,893.
Over 232.76 million tons of cargos were shipped during the period under review, marking a 34% rise year-on-year.
Mehrabad International Airport accounted for 10.9 million of the total number of passengers, 19% more than in the corresponding period of last year.
Mashhad International Airport and Shiraz International Airport followed with 4.61 million and 1.9 million passengers respectively.
Mehrabad handled 115,236 landings and takeoffs during the period, considerably higher than other Iranian airports.
IAC data also indicate a 57% growth in the number of foreign flights passing through Iranian airspace during the year.
A total of 168,418 foreign aircraft flew over Iran's airspace during the period, which stood at 107,614 in the corresponding period of last year.
Iran Airports Company had earlier reported that the number of international flights registered a 192% rise to 47,096 last year.
