Iranian airlines have started to scrap their grounded planes to free up space at the airports across the country, according to Maqsoud As’adi, with the Iranian Airlines Association. Iran’s out-of-service aircraft include 20 Russian Tupolevs, a number of Boeing 747, 727 and 737s as well as Fokker F28s, Fars News Agency quoted As’adi as saying. In mid-May, the government set a four-month deadline for airlines to get rid of their disused planes, as airports are grappling with a shortage of parking space in view of the rising number of new aircraft joining the domestic fleet after the removal of nuclear sanctions against Iran in January. “The airlines will face heavy fines for each day of delay,” said Rahmatollah Mahabadi, CEO of Iran Airports Company. Earlier, Ali Rostami, director general of Mehrabad International Airport, said 40 out-of-service planes are parked in this airport alone, which must be discarded as per a decree issued by Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi. Mehrabad, which has space for 40-42 planes, currently accommodates up to 47 aircraft. “Mehrabad needs parking space for 75 planes within the next five years,” Rostami said.
