Iranian aviation faces turbulence amid threats to regulate prices

Iran’s deputy minister of roads and urban development has criticized whispers of regulating prices for airlines, stating that running an airline under such restrictions is impossible.

The comment highlights the ongoing tension between the government and the aviation industry over ticket pricing.

Mohammad Mohammadi-Bakhsh said that the High Council of Aviation should set prices, a practice that has been in place for many years. However, with current whispers of price liberalization, there is concern about significant increases in flight prices.

Despite the government's attempts to prevent price hikes, airline companies, burdened by rising operational costs, oppose the move.

The head of the Civil Aviation Organization on Tuesday also claimed the arrival of 100 airplanes and helicopters over the past 33 months, with 55 put into operation.

“Currently, 270 ultralight aircraft and helicopters are operating in the country's aviation fleet. We need 550 aircraft."

It comes as Iran recently purchased a 29-year-old plane from the Taliban, highlighting the government's desperate measures amid global sanctions which continues to tie Iran's hands. Critics slam the Raisi administration's claims of fleet expansion, noting many supposed new additions are merely old planes repaired in Iran.

The purchase follows Airbus's cancellation of a major deal to sell Iran 100 planes, worth $30 billion, due to the Trump administration's withdrawal from the JCPOA and reimposition of sanctions. Since the 1990s, Iran has struggled to buy new aircraft or spare parts due to sanctions, leading to a steadily deteriorating fleet.

As a result, Iran's aviation fleet has become increasingly old and unreliable, with an average age of over 25 years and many planes in dire need of major repairs. The government's failure to secure modern aircraft continues to compromise the safety and reliability of air travel in the country.