Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport City’s (IKAC) Deputy Director of Administrative Affairs, Kourosh Fatahi announced that the airport is in talks with 3 national carriers to commence new services to the Iranian capital.

Today, Thai Airways started a 4-weekly service from Bangkok to Tehran which was welcomed with a ceremony in the airport’s Novotel hotel. The route frequency has expanded from 5 to 13 weekly flights in only a 4-months period as a result of Thai AirAsia X’s 3 and Thai Airways’ 4 weekly additions. In the future, Thai Airways plans to operate on a daily basis as well as adding a second seasonal route to Phuket. New flights to Isfahan and Mashhad are meanwhile considered. Thai Airways became Tehran Imam Khomeini Airport’s 56th airline and 70th route.

During the ceremony, the Deputy Director revealed that they are in talks with other national carriers. The national carriers of India, Canada, and South Korea are reportedly interested in launching flights to Tehran. Air India is planning a route from Mumbai or New Delhi, while Korean Air is planning from Seoul and Air Canada from Montreal, according to the Ministry of Roads and Urban Developments.

Air India is together with 3 other airlines considering new routes from India to Tehran next year, according to Aviation Iran’s new Route News database.

Meanwhile, Air Canada’s move is more remarkable. Not only by the unexpected route, but also for a possible new beginning of diplomatic relations with Iran. In 2012, Canada severed all diplomatic ties with Tehran and closed its embassy. Since the new Premier Minister Justin Trudeau took office in 2015, his government has been pushing for the reestablishment of ties. Air Canada currently codeshares on Lufthansa’s flights to Iran, which is an example of cooperation in aviation between Iran and Canada.

In March 2016, Korean Air was granted permission to operate four flights weekly between Seoul-Incheon and Tehran after winning the competition against Asiana Airlines.

Photo: Air Canada