Iran Air plans to return to the global market by launching a new reservation system.

Iran Air opened its first ever online reservation system in 2008 and since the launch, the service has been expanded to include international ticket reservations.

The flight bookings increased by 50% after the new reservation system, Seyyed Mohammad Jalali Iran Air’s internet sales director said. The most popular routes were from Tehran to Shiraz, Mashhad, Bushehr, Amsterdam, London and Frankfurt.

Iran Air announced this week that they are currently negotiating with international credit card companies to adapt international payment methods on its reservation system.

Today, the national carrier uses Shetab’s banking system for domestic payments. Lately, Iran Air has also authorised a few travel agencies to sell international tickets online.

Purchasing tickets from Iranian airlines is seen as a nearly impossible task for foreigners holding international bank cards. Most of the purchases are therefore forced to be made by traditional travel agencies. For Iranians, this is less of a problem. Booking flight tickets online is increasing steadily and airlines are in an effort to simplify the processes. Mahan Air has as the first ever Iranian airline launched an online check-in service and Iran Air has based a number of self-check-in kiosks at Tehran Mehrabad Airport.

In the recent months, Iran has inked agreements with a few countries, such as Turkey and Malaysia, to connect their credit cards systems.

Photo: Roel Hemkes