Mahan Air
Encyclopedia
Mahan Airlines, doing business as Mahan Air, is a private airline
based in the Mahan Air Tower in Tehran
, Iran
. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East
, Middle East
, Central Asia
, and Europe
. Its main base is Imam Khomeini International Airport
, Tehran
, Iran
.
in 2001 and is owned by Mol-Al-Movahedin Organisation (96%). As of March 2007 it has 2,511 employees. At its operational launch in May 1993, Mahan Air fleet consisted of two Tupolev 154 aircraft, with a staff of 99 and a route network from Tehran to two domestic destinations. Growth was initiated with the addition of Airbus A300
wide-body aircraft to the fleet in 1999 and the Airbus A310
in 2001. This enabled the airline to reach beyond the regional destinations it served. Its route network now spans 28 destinations in 12 countries with a fleet of 25 Airbus and Boeing 747 aircraft. It holds 13% of all international flights from Iran, and 8% of the domestic market.
or Airbus
. The Mahan Air fleet includes the following aircraft (as of February 2011):
The three 747-400s were according to the British High Court unlawfully taken by Mahan from their real owners in 2008 using forged bills of sale. When ordered to bring the aircraft back to Europe, Mahan apparently claimed they could not do so because they were being investigated by the Iranian authorities for fraud and the aircraft had to be kept in Iran.
Seating data provided from the airline'sofficial site. Other sources (as planespotters.net) give other data.
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
. The U.S. Government action came in the aftermath of its allegation that the Qods Force
had attempted to assassinate Saudi Arabia's
ambassador
to the United States
, Adel al-Jubeir
. The Treasury Department alleged that Mahan Air assisted in carrying out that plot by providing transportation, funds transfers and personnel travel services to the Qods Force
:
The Treasury Department also accused Mahan Air of providing "travel services to IRGC-QF personnel flown to and from Iran
and Syria
for military training," facilitating "the covert travel of suspected IRGC-QF officers into and out of Iraq
by bypassing normal security procedures," and of "not including information on flight manifests to eliminate records of the IRGC-QF travel."
The Treasury Department also accused Mahan Air of transferring arms shipments and funds for the purchase of controlled goods
and of providing transportation services for Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
As a result, all U.S. persons were prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with Mahan Air and any assets it may hold under U.S. jurisdiction were frozen.
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
based in the Mahan Air Tower in Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
, and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Its main base is Imam Khomeini International Airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport
Imam Khomeini International Airport is located in Ahmadabad, Iran. The airport is located about southwest of the city near the localities of Robat-Karim and Eslamshahr. It was designed to replace Mehrabad International Airport, which is in the west of the city, now inside the city boundaries...
, Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
.
History
The airline was established in 1991 and began operations in 1992 as Iran's first private airline. It joined the IATAInternational Air Transport Association
The International Air Transport Association is an international industry trade group of airlines headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where the International Civil Aviation Organization is also headquartered. The executive offices are at the Geneva Airport in SwitzerlandIATA's mission is to...
in 2001 and is owned by Mol-Al-Movahedin Organisation (96%). As of March 2007 it has 2,511 employees. At its operational launch in May 1993, Mahan Air fleet consisted of two Tupolev 154 aircraft, with a staff of 99 and a route network from Tehran to two domestic destinations. Growth was initiated with the addition of Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
wide-body aircraft to the fleet in 1999 and the Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
in 2001. This enabled the airline to reach beyond the regional destinations it served. Its route network now spans 28 destinations in 12 countries with a fleet of 25 Airbus and Boeing 747 aircraft. It holds 13% of all international flights from Iran, and 8% of the domestic market.
Fleet
Due to the sanctions imposed by the US government, Iranian airlines can only acquire aircraft which are at least seven years old and have been purchased through a third party rather than directly from BoeingBoeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
or Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
. The Mahan Air fleet includes the following aircraft (as of February 2011):
| Type | Total | Seating | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J | Y | Total | |||
| Airbus A300B2 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
3 | 20 15 |
236 231 |
256 246 |
A300B2K-3C model |
| Airbus A300B4-100 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
1 | Airbus A300B4-103 model | |||
| Airbus A300B4-200 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
2 | Airbus A300B4-203 model | |||
| Airbus A300-600 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
13 | 24 | 227 232 |
251 256 |
10 A300B4-603 model, 3 A300B4-605R |
| Airbus A310-300 Airbus A310 The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of... |
9 | 10 12 |
186 190 |
196 202 |
1 (EX-301) operated by Kyrgyz Trans Avia Kyrgyz Trans Avia Kyrgyz Trans Avia is a charter airline based in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. It is on the List of air carriers banned in the European Union .-Fleet:The Kyrgyz Trans Avia fleet is the following aircraft :*3 Airbus A310-300.*5 Airbus A300B4.... 1 A310-304 (EP-MHO), 6 A310-304(ET), 1 A310-308 (EP-MNP). |
| Boeing 747-300 Combi | 2 | 26 | 412 | 438 | Boeing 747-3B3(M) model |
| Boeing 747-400 Boeing 747-400 The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe... |
3 | 44 | 394 | 438 | Boeing 747-422 model EP-MNB and EP-MNC stored at Tehran, EP-MNA has start her operation again, but only domestic between Mehrabad and Mashhad |
| Airbus 310 | Previously operated by the German Government. | ||||
The three 747-400s were according to the British High Court unlawfully taken by Mahan from their real owners in 2008 using forged bills of sale. When ordered to bring the aircraft back to Europe, Mahan apparently claimed they could not do so because they were being investigated by the Iranian authorities for fraud and the aircraft had to be kept in Iran.
Seating data provided from the airline'sofficial site. Other sources (as planespotters.net) give other data.
Safety concerns in 2007
On 11 September 2007, the European Commission added Mahan Air to the list of airlines banned within the EU. The ban was subject to certain limitations; for example, Mahan Air was able to operate aircraft wet-leased from other carriers provided those aircraft met EU regulations, however this ban was lifted on 25 July 2008 in view of the progress made by the carrier, which were verified during an on site inspection in Iran.Alleged Involvement in 2011 Plot to Assassinate the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S.
On October 12, 2011, the United States Department of the Treasury designated Mahan Air as an entity providing financial, material and technological support to a designated terrorist organization, to wit, Iran'sIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force
Qods Force
The Quds Force is a special unit of Iran's Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution . It has been described as "tasked with exporting" Iran's Islamic revolution, or "responsible for extraterritorial operations" of the Revolutionary Guard.The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme...
. The U.S. Government action came in the aftermath of its allegation that the Qods Force
Qods Force
The Quds Force is a special unit of Iran's Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution . It has been described as "tasked with exporting" Iran's Islamic revolution, or "responsible for extraterritorial operations" of the Revolutionary Guard.The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme...
had attempted to assassinate Saudi Arabia's
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Adel al-Jubeir
Adel al-Jubeir
Adel A. Al-Jubeir is the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States, and a former foreign policy advisor to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia. He is a well-known representative of the Saudi kingdom in the West, particularly the United States. Al-Jubeir presented his credentials to...
. The Treasury Department alleged that Mahan Air assisted in carrying out that plot by providing transportation, funds transfers and personnel travel services to the Qods Force
Qods Force
The Quds Force is a special unit of Iran's Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution . It has been described as "tasked with exporting" Iran's Islamic revolution, or "responsible for extraterritorial operations" of the Revolutionary Guard.The Quds Force reports directly to the Supreme...
:
- “Mahan Air’s close coordination with the IRGC-QF – secretly ferrying operatives, weapons and funds on its flights – reveals yet another facet of the IRGC’s extensive infiltration of Iran’s commercial sector to facilitate its support for terrorism,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen. “Following the revelation about the IRGC-QF’s use of the international financial system to fund its murder-for-hire plot, today’s action highlights further the undeniable risks of doing business with Iran.”
The Treasury Department also accused Mahan Air of providing "travel services to IRGC-QF personnel flown to and from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
for military training," facilitating "the covert travel of suspected IRGC-QF officers into and out of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
by bypassing normal security procedures," and of "not including information on flight manifests to eliminate records of the IRGC-QF travel."
The Treasury Department also accused Mahan Air of transferring arms shipments and funds for the purchase of controlled goods
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
and of providing transportation services for Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
As a result, all U.S. persons were prohibited from engaging in commercial or financial transactions with Mahan Air and any assets it may hold under U.S. jurisdiction were frozen.