Tehran-Brussels direct flights resume after 60 years

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s Qeshm Air got TCO license and launched its maiden weekly direct flight connecting Tehran to Brussels with a return leg set to be operated on the same date, connecting the two capitals after 60 years.

News ID: ۷۷۷۳۵۹

03 July 2017

For the first time, SABENA airline had launched direct flight between Tehran and Brussels on November 14, 1958 but after a short time, these flights had been canceled.

The single weekly service which started on June 27, may be extended to two or three in the future, according to ISNA.

Qeshm Air is using Airbus A319s 132 seats on the roughly 4000 kilometers route that takes some six hours.

“The weekly connection between Tehran and Brussels will create greater opportunities for cooperation for companies both in Belgium and in Iran, offering Belgians the chance to become familiar with the rich history and unique culture of Iran. Conversely, residents of Iran will now be able to easily travel from their country to the heart of Europe to become acquainted with Belgium,” Qeshm Air’s CEO Mahmoud Shekarabi said.

Last November, Qeshm Air received its TCO (third country operator) license from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), announcing five flights to Europe, including one Tabriz-Hamburg. Brussels, Paris, Stockholm, Amsterdam, and Cologne were among the destinations, according to Air Journal.

“The attainment of the project is one of the achievements of the improving relations between Iran and EU following the implementation of the nuclear deal known as JCPOA” Iranian ambassador to Brussels Peyman Saadat said.

Two other Iranian airlines, namely Mahan Air and Zagros Airlines, have recently launched new direct flights to Spain and Russia respectively in a bid to accelerate the pace of tourism growth in the country.