Iran Wants 400 New Planes by 2025 If Sanctions End

[rmi5]

I´m no expert for airports and infrastructure but when you look at the list price at Airbus you can see that the price goes from 71,9 million $ for the small A318 up too 414,4 million $ for the A 380. But those are list prices and the price the airline pays is usually not that high. It depends on "rank" the airline has as a customer, as well as negotiations, further contracts and the size of the contract. Iran has an incredible old fleet of airplanes. To be able to compete would mean a complete fleet replacement. Thats a massive program and i´m sure some price drops would be possible. It depends what is Irans goal? What do they plan, what do they need? How should their new fleet look like?

Airlines often use Airbus and Boeing, simply to avoid a monopoly. So this allows price drops too. Another aspect is, what interior the airline choses. An A380 can also be much more expensive and cost you 600 million $ (same counts for the new 747-8i) if you chose a specific interior. Another large amount of costs are the engines. Those are bought direct from the producer (RR, GE, P&W and so on). I think a good option for Iran would be a hybrid strategy. They could buy new airplanes but also lease new airplanes in the beginning phase of their replacement project. I also think it could be possible to buy some brandnew aircrafts as well as some used once, which are much cheaper. Having 6 - 8 year old jets from Lufthansa / Air Berlin or BA is still a very good deal and those airplanes are in top conditions.

I doubt that Iran has the will and the public support to pull up a mass order like Emirates. The costs are gargantuan and i think it would be hard to sell such a project to the public there. So a mix would be best. Some new airplanes, some used ones and leasing.

Thank you very much.
I think it makes sense. buying used aircrafts+leasing+buying new aircrafts is the best option. As you said, Iran's public will not support such a plan, specially if it is going to be such a big plan for long term.

 

[rmi5]

iran should better only buy russian planes since america and eu can always impose sanction on them, they are also more reliable and have a lower price

Russian Tupolevs have a very bad reputation in Iran. in Iran, Russian aircraft means coffin, with no offense

 

[VCheng]

Iran is looking to buy 400 passenger planes in the next 10 years to upgrade its aging fleet if Western sanctions imposed over its controversial nuclear program are lifted, the country's top aviation official said Wednesday.
The remark by Ali Reza Jahangirian of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization reflects Tehran's interest in attracting foreign investment and upgrading its creaking aviation industry.

A powerful and proudly independent nation like Iran that can produce gems like the Qaher 313 can easily build all the passenger planes it wants, I am sure.

Qaher-313

 

[MarkusS]

The sad reality is, that russia basicly has no functional civil airliner program. Their airplanes are not safe, not economical and are no option for modern states.

If Iran wants a fleet that can operate worldwide and be renomated it will buy Airbus and Boeing. Only poor 3rd world countries buy russian aircrafts and i doubt that Iran would go that way.

It is a 100% issue that Iran Air will buy both Airbus and Boeing. Sure i would like if they buy only Airbus but no airline does bet on just one operator, so i have to be realistic.

What is the core element of Iran Air plan? What market would they like to cater and what renomee do they want to build up? Alot depends on such questions.

 

[Pakistani shaheens]

Iran is looking to buy 400 passenger planes in the next 10 years to upgrade its aging fleet if Western sanctions imposed over its controversial nuclear program are lifted, the country's top aviation official said Wednesday.

The remark by Ali Reza Jahangirian of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization reflects Tehran's interest in attracting foreign investment and upgrading its creaking aviation industry.

It comes amid a new climate in the country following the election last June of new President Hassan Rouhani who has focused his efforts on reviving Iran's faltering economy.

"Iranian airlines will be ready to buy 40 jets a year," Jahangirian said, without disclosing specifics of what could be a multi-billion dollar project.

Jahangirian also said Iran has received "very positive signals" from Western companies, including Boeing Co. and General Electric Co. about getting new spare parts. Both Boeing and GE have said the U.S. Treasury Department has given them licenses to export to Iran.

The licenses for spare parts were made possible under a temporary nuclear deal struck last November between Iran and six world powers. Under it, Tehran is to halt some aspects of its nuclear program in return for the lifting of some sanctions — including restrictions on sale of commercial plane parts and services to Iran.

Such a sale to Iran would be the first publicly known dealing between U.S. airspace companies and Tehran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the pro-U.S. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought clerics to power.

Iran and the six-nation group — the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council plus Germany — are currently negotiating a comprehensive, permanent deal that could lift all sanctions on Iran while removing any possibility for Tehran to develop a nuclear weapon.

Jahangirian said that out of Iran's 250 commercial planes, about 150 are flying while the rest are grounded due to lack of spare parts.

Jahangirian also said that Iran has taken some "technical" steps in preparing for a resumption of direct flights with the United States but that more needs to be done before that becomes a reality.

Direct flights between the two countries were cut after the 1979 revolution.
Iran Wants 400 New Planes by 2025 If Sanctions End - ABC News

That is really good news for our Iranian brothers

 

[MarkusS]

Unfortunately some here have no clue what they talk about and lead this topic into oblivion. It would be great to come back to topic.

So what exactly are Iran Air goals and which market do they want cater? What image do they want to achieve?

 

[MarkusS]

ok thats it. I´m out of here.

 

[Dem!god]

good...but 400 ....

its too much..... they want to lease these planes to smaller or poorer nations.......

 

[Prince of Persia]

good...but 400 ....

its too much..... they want to lease these planes to smaller or poorer nations.......

The did not say what type of planes they'll get. Some will be the smaller ones and some will be the larger ones.

 

[Serpentine]

Anyone who wants to get banned, you're welcome to post one more off topic.

 

[MarkusS]

I try again...i would like to know, what are the plans? What market segments does Iran Air want cater? What alliance does it plan to participate in? What renomee does it plan to have and what fleet structure is planned?

 

[haman10]

iran should better only buy russian planes since america and eu can always impose sanction on them, they are also more reliable and have a lower price

dear , there is a little problem !!

unfortunately , due to low quality of some old tupolev airplanes , iranians are afraid about russian planes !! everyone nowadays prefer iranian plane IRan-140 rather than old tupolevs (although by people's pressure they were all scrapped)

but what russian companies need to do right now is convince iranian people that tupolev has changed during years and its new planes are sold worldwide with the best quality .

but still , i think this buying plan is going to be in parallel with our own national passenger plane .

 

[Best Land]

Viva muslims included IRAN and PAKISTAN .

 

[Serpentine]

I try again...i would like to know, what are the plans? What market segments does Iran Air want cater? What alliance does it plan to participate in? What renomee does it plan to have and what fleet structure is planned?

The plan details are not very clear now since the sanctions on buying civilian airliners are still in place, but my guess is, when sanctions are lifted, there will be a huge demand for new planes, from both Airbus and Boeing, just like now. Iran is operating planes from both companies. Some of the planes can recieve spare parts and be used for few more years until they are replaced with brand new models.

Here's some informative posts from an Iranian member on Skyscrapercity forum regarding Iran's air fleet, its demands and future plans, I suggest you read them all:

I have been following Iran's air industry for some time now and have a couple of comments:

1. For a country like Iran it is absolutely not economical to build it's own planes.
Building commercial planes requires incredible engineering know how, world class project management skills, superior technology and vast experience. We can never compete with the likes of Boeing and Airbus and will end up wasting resources on a failed product.

This would end up worse than our car industry. We would be producing planes that are less safe, have worse aerodynamics, consume more fuel and this list is ongoing. On top this would happen at much higher prices.

It is backward thinking to want to be self sufficient in every industry. Even Airbus and Boeing design most of their planes in multiple countries.


2. Iran's airline industry is too fragmented and there is no real competition.
Iran has over 14 airlines, the government fixes prices, planes are all old or second hand, there are no entertainment systems on planes and most films / shows cannot be aired, there is no focus on interior design, airports are old, no alcohol is served an so on.


The only way Iran's air industry can develop is for the IR to go or to really open up.
We need the lifting of sanctions, foreign investment, opening of the economy, easing of social restrictions and investment in tourism.

Iran will have to first develop its infrastructure, that is tourist destinations, hotels and airports, before its airlines can compete.

The next step would be to merge Iran Air with Mahan and Aseman. Iran Air should have a fleet of 100 planes at least. All Other small airlines should be replaced by one single second airline which could be fully private.

The Government should really invest over $20 billion (a lot of it should come through the issuance of debt) to build an airline that can compete and eventually beat the Arab Persian Gulf countries' airlines.

Iran Air would initially be loss making but long term, it would make Iran the transit hub of the region and boost the economy. Iran is bound to be the business hub of the region, Tehran is a better transit route than the Persian Gulf region, Iran has a big population, and many tourist attractions.

We should not just see Iran Air as a single entity and think of its financial performance, but also consider the indirect revenue and marketing boost it can give the country. This was a strategy the Shah understood, and which the Arabs copied after Iran's revolution.


Imagining all of the above is in place (could take up to two years), Iran would have to pass a law to only allow airlines registered in Iran to operate the most modern airlines, which include:
Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing 747-8, Boeing 777x, Boeing 787
Airbus A319neo, A320neo, A321neo, A350, A380

Airlines would have to redesign as well. All Iranian airlines are ridiculously ugly.

Just have a look at Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines or JAL for example. Fiji Airways would be a great design for a private airline with Persian art.

I fully agree. All airlines should be nationalized and shut down. Iran Air could operate the latest fleet of Boeing and Airbus (B737 Max and A319/320/321neo for domestic flights, to neighbouring countries and Southern Europe and B787, B747-8, A350 and A380 for medium and long haul).

I am even open to the idea of Iran Air rebranding to IRANIAN given the damage its reputation has taken. In terms of design, I like the one I posted but I would take the small logo and Persian Text and just have in smaller font, light grey and italic something like '2500 Years of Hospitality'. Overall, similar to Qantas livery but because of the tail much prettier and because of the slogan more powerful.


I agree there is a need for a second airline. It needs to be very modern and simple. I would call it PERSIAN and design it similar to Fiji Airways. For now a fleet of 80 planes would do. The majority would need to be B737 Max 8 (around 40) which seats 126 people in a two class configuration and will be on the market from next year or early 2016. The plane costs $85 million and is very fuel efficient. It would allow the airline to have many flights across Iran and neighbouring countries.

The airline could also obtain 20 B737 Max 9 which seats 156 people for busier domestic routes and flights to Dubai and Istanbul. The airline could then follow with 10 B787-8, 10 B787-9 and 10 B787-10 for long haul flights.

This airline would be much simpler than Iran Air and the B737 Max and B787 Dreamliner are almost identical in design and can use the same simulators and pilots could fly any plane in the fleet.

This airline would allow Iran Air to focus on travel from Tehran to around the world and serve as the key transit airline of the region while this second airline operating smaller planes could have international flights to many Iranian cities (like Isfahan-London, Shiraz-Hamburg and so on) which would also boost tourism.

I have read a little more about Iran's air industry.

In order to fully upgrade and modernize its fleet and be able to compete with Middle Eastern Airlines Iran will need 500 to 600 new aircraft over the next couple of years.


1. Iran Air should operate around 220 aircraft.

It needs to ideally buy 120 A319neo/A320neo/A321neo aircraft.
These seat 156, 180 and 236 people, respectively and could be used for domestic and short haul regional flights.

It also needs around 90 A350 XWB-800/A350 XWB-900/A350 XWB-1000 planes.
These seat around 276, 315 and 369 people, respectively and could be used for long haul flights.

It could also acquire 5 to 10 A380 planes (555 passengers) for busy long haul flights.

The airline would be operating the most modern Airbus aircraft which are similar to fly.

Iran Air should focus opearting out of Tehran (IKIA), Mashhad, Tabriz and Isfahan.


2. A second airline should be set up, call it Persian Airlines, which could operate out of Shiraz.

The airline could operate 60 B737 MAX 7/B737 MAX 8 for domestic flights and flights to neighbouring countries and a fleet of 100 Dreamliners (B787-8/B787-9/B787-10) for long haul flights. The advantage is that the 787 and 737 MAX have the same cockpit design.

The airline could be a little more luxurious and than Iran Air and serve people in Southern Iran on international flights. It could also boost tourism and be a major transit hub.


3. A purely domestic airline, ideally named Persian Gulf.

Could operate around 120 CS100 and CS300. These aircraft are very cheap and highly modern and seet between 110 to 135 passengers.

The airline could operate out of Tehran (Mehrabad), Mashhad, Isfahan, Kish and Qeshm.


Finally, every airline that flies over 3 hours (basically all A350s, A380s and B787s should have full entertainment systems. The short haul flights do not need them.
__________________

 

[MarkusS]

thats interesting. I agree that Iran Air would need a complete rebrand to cater an international market. A new name, corporate identity and so on. It would be an exciting project.

To minimize cost you should hane only one major international airport which works as hub for inland flights.