Austrian Airlines, a subsidiary of Lufthansa plans to launch 3X-weekly Vienna-Isfahan services from September 4 as part of a new bilateral air transport agreement between Austria and Iran, US-based magazine Air Transport World reported on its website.
The Austrian flag carrier said in a statement the underlying reason for its second Iran destination is a new bilateral air transport agreement between the two nations, which could be renegotiated for the first time in 30 years. Because of the ongoing coordination process, Austrian recently had to delay the planned commencement Isfahan service from April 2016 to September 2016.
Vienna-Isfahan services will become 4X-weekly starting from summer 2017.
In March Austrian expanded its Iran operations with the launch of a second daily Vienna-Teheran Imam Khomeini International Airport service.
The Star Alliance member operates single-aisle Airbus A320 family aircraft to both destinations in Iran compared to other European carriers, which mainly use widebodies on Tehran routes.
Austrian Airlines will operate up to 17 weekly flights to Iran as of September 2016.
Lufthansa itself has resumed flying non-stop from Munich to Tehran. Starting on July 4, the connection under flight number LH 602 began three times a week.
“Due to increasing business relations, we are expecting a significantly higher demand in future. Iran has also gained greater significance with culture tourists,” said Thomas Winkelmann, chief executive of Lufthansa Munich hub.
Following the lifting of western sanctions, many international airlines have resumed or increased flights to Iran.
Sanctions imposed over the Iranian nuclear program were lifted in January as part of a landmark nuclear deal Iran signed with the six world powers last year by agreeing to limit the scope of its nuclear activities.
The connection between Munich and Tehran was last offered from spring 2004 to summer 2006.
Air France also resumed flights to Iran in April after eight years with French Transport Minister Alain Vidalies and an accompanying delegation on board.
Emirates Airlines launched a new Mashhad-Dubai flight on September 1. An Airbus 330 flies the new route to and from the shrine city's Shahid Hasheminejad International Airport with a passenger capacity of 237 people on all weekdays, except Saturdays and Thursdays.
According to Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi, presently averages of 1,050 foreign flights cross Iran's airspace every day. The figure was 500 before the incumbent government took office in August 2013.
"Amid volatilities in the region, Iran remains secure and stable, which is the reason behind the rise in foreign flights," Akhoundi was also quoted as saying by the state news agency.
