After a hiatus extending back before the pandemic, Lufthansa is resuming service to the Islamic Republic of Iran later this month.
Lufthansa Will Resume Service To Iran
On January 8 2020, Iranian forces shot down a Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737-800 departing from Tehran. The U.S. had assassinated Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by drone strike five days earlier and the Iranians believed that the 737, operating as flight PS752 to Kiev, was a cruise missile. However, that admission did not come until January 11th and for the three days prior, Iranian forces maintained the 737 had simply experienced mechanical problems.
Lufthansa cancelled its daily flight from Frankfurt to Tehran that day, LH600, but believing the Ukraine International Airlines incident had been mechanical in nature, resumed service on January 9th. However, while LH600 was enroute to Tehran, word came from U.S intelligence officials that the 737 had been shot down.
Just over Bucharest, Romania, the Lufthansa flight turned around and returned to Frankfurt. Not only was the flight cancelled, but all service to Iran was suspended.
Then COVID-19.
Consequently, 15 months later Lufthansa still has not resumed service to the Islamic Republic.
But that services resumes this month. Lufthansa has confirmed service will launch between Frankfurt and Tehran on April 16th.
In a statement, Lufthansa underscored its confidence it could operate safely:
“The conditions for safe flight operations in Iranian airspace are currently in place.”
Lufthansa Iran Schedule
Lufthansa will use an Airbus A340-300 for its service, an aircraft which contains:
- 30 Business seats
- 28 Premium Economy seats
- 221 Economy seats
The flight will operate according to the following schedule:
- Lufthansa 600
Departs Frankfurt (FRA) 2:25 pm
Arrives Tehran (IKA) 10:00 pm
5h 5m
Airbus A340-300 - Lufthansa 601
Departs Tehran (IKA) 2:45 am
Arrives Frankfurt (FRA) 5:445am
5h 30m
Airbus A340-300
CONCLUSION
Lufthansa will resume service to Iran in less than two weeks, after a long hiatus. The new service highlights Lufthansa’s confidence that it can operate safely to the region.
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