Iran Air Retires Final Airbus A300B4, Ending Worldwide Passenger Operations

Iran Air has retired its final Airbus A300B4, ending passenger operations of the sort worldwide. In keeping with business reviews, the plane made its remaining industrial flight again in June. Its retirement closes greater than 4 a long time of service for a mannequin that was as soon as central to Airbus’ early success.

The airline had saved the plane in use lengthy after most airways retired the sort, largely as a result of sanctions restricted its potential to refresh the fleet. The A300B4’s exit now leaves solely later A300-600R fashions in Iran Air’s passenger fleet. The plane had beforehand flown with a number of different operators earlier than becoming a member of Iran Air’s fleet.

Reviews Recommend Iran Air’s A300B4 Accomplished Remaining Business Flight In June

In keeping with Planespotters.internet information, an Airbus A300B4, registered EP-IBG, is 41.1 years outdated and first entered service in December 1986. The plane joined Iran Air’s fleet in June 2006 on lease from ACT Airways and have become a workhorse for the service, flying quick and medium routes throughout the area.

In keeping with a number of business reviews, the jet operated its final industrial passenger service on June 12 from Jeddah King Abdulaziz Worldwide Airport to Isfahan Worldwide Airport. Flightradar24 information reveals that since then it has accomplished a number of flights between Tehran Worldwide Airport and Al Najaf Airport, with the newest spherical journey happening on August 16. Over its profession, the plane logged practically 72,000 flight hours and greater than 25,000 cycles.

EP-IBG Handed By means of A number of Operators Earlier than Becoming a member of Iran Air

Airbus first launched the A300 within the Nineteen Seventies because the world’s first twin-engine widebody jet. On the time, it provided airways a mix of decrease working prices, improved vary, and better passenger capability in comparison with four-engine long-haul jets. Notably, earlier than becoming a member of Iran Air, the EP-IBG flew with a number of operators. Planespotters.internet information reveals it was initially scheduled for supply to Luxair, however the handover by no means occurred.

As a substitute, it entered service in December 1986 with Finnish service KarAir, which later merged into Finnair. In 1990, following Finnair’s acquisition of a majority stake in KarAir, the A300B4 was transferred to Finnair’s fleet. In April 1998, the plane moved to a Channel Islands-based service, Air Scandic, which operated constitution flights for numerous UK tour operators (most of which operated out of Manchester Airport), and was quickly leased to the British unbiased airline, Caledonian Airways.

It returned to Air Scandic in October that yr earlier than being leased out once more to Caledonian in 1999 for a brief interval. In 2004, it entered service with MNG Airways, adopted by a short lease to Turkish Airways. After a yr with out flying, Turkish operated the plane once more in early 2006. By June 2006, it was positioned with Iran Air, the place it stayed in service till retirement.

Sanctions Go away Iran Air Dependent On Older Plane

Earlier this yr, Easy Flying reported that as of early 2025, round 132 A300s had been nonetheless operational, virtually all of them freighters. Passenger variants had been solely lively with Iran Air, which continued flying the mannequin lengthy after different airways retired it resulting from sanctions limiting its potential to accumulate replacements.

In keeping with ch-aviation information, Iran Air has about 39 plane in its fleet, together with older sorts such because the A310-300 and A319-100. Now, with the A300B4 retired, solely 4 A300-600R plane stay within the fleet, two lively and two inactive, with a mean age of 32.3 years. It is not uncommon for airways in sanctioned markets to function growing older fleets, as older jets will be maintained extra simply by way of spare elements sourced from retired airframes on the black market.

The US and western nations have lengthy imposed sanctions on Iranian carriers and on the nation. Except these measures are lifted, Iran Air is anticipated to maintain working older plane. Previously, carriers in sanctioned environments, together with Mahan Air, have reactivated saved jets when replacements couldn’t be secured. For the A300B4, a return is unlikely, however different growing older plane may nonetheless enter Iran by way of oblique channels.

Present restrictions prohibit Iran from buying plane with US-made parts, which successfully blocks deliveries of Boeing jets and most Airbus fashions. Regardless of this, Iran has acquired plane by way of oblique registrations and untracked supply routes. In July, 5 Boeing 777-200ERs had been transferred to Iran underneath opaque circumstances, they usually had been believed to be destined for Mahan Air.