Information of TTFly: The European Commission will allow Iran Air to operate more aircraft to the EU when it updates its Air Safety List later this month, Aviation Daily has learned.
The semi-annual updat of the safety list, better known as the "EU Airline Blacklist," is expected to be released on June 16.
According to the last updat -- released December 10, 2015 -- of the list of airlines that are subject to an operating ban or operational restrictions within the 28-member states bloc, Iran Air is allowed to deploy 12 specific aircraft to the EU: 10 Airbus A300s and two A310s. Following recent safety inspections by the EC and a number of member states, more Iran Air aircraft will be cleared.
The decision was made by EU's Air Safety Committee at their meeting on May 31-June 1 in Brussels. All member states supported the easing of the operating restrictions, an EU official confirmed to Aviation Daily. only Iran Air's Boeing 747s and its fleet of Fokker 100s will remain blacklisted, and Iran Air's operations into the EU will be subject to monitoring by EASA. The airline has two 747s and 15 Fokker 100s in its fleet, according to Aviation Week Intelligence Network's commercial fleets database. The Fokkers have an average age of 24 years; the 747SP-86 is 39 years old, and the 747-21AC is 28 years old.
The Air Safety Committee's decision is not yet public and the decision first has to be formally transmitted to the European Parliament (EP) and the Council before the EC publishes its updated list. In accordance with established practice, the EC does ask for the EP's opinion within five working days.
The easing of Iran Air's operational restrictions to Europe follows by a couple of months the preliminary purchase agreements signed by ATR and Airbus for almost 160 aircraft in total. ATR's deal with Iran Air, signed on Feb. 1, covers the introduction of 40 ATR 72-600s -20 firm orders plus 20 options, while the Airbus deal is for 21 A320ceo family, 24 A320neo family, 27 A330ceo family, 18 A330neo (-900), 16 A350-1000 and 12 A380 aircraft.
The EU Safety List is "all about safety," an EC official emphasized, adding that the EC or the EU's Air Safety Committee would not clear Iran Air's operations for political or economic reasons.
The EC and EASA conducted an EU aviation safety assessment visit to Iran recently, EASA Head of Communication and Quality Dominique Fouda /confirm/ied. It included a follow-up assessment of the Iranian Civil Aviation Authority, following an earlier EU visit in 2010, which led to the partial restriction of Iran Air in the EU.
While in Iran, the EASA team also performed a third county operator (TCO) audit of Iran Air in the wake of its application for EASA TCO authorization. The results of this mission were a discussion point during this week's Air Safety Committee meeting of the EC in Brussels, updating the EU Air Safety List. The EC and EASA have been there in an inspecting capacity, not as consultants providing technical assistance, Fouda said.
The EC banned most of Iran Air's fleet from flying to the EU because of safety concerns in 2010.
An Airbus spokesman said that the relaxation of the operational restrictions of Iran Air to Europe is not affecting the deal in any way. "We are in continuous talks with the customer and the required governmental authorities to have all necessary authorizations in place before starting any delivery," he said, while noting that the new Airbus aircraft could be used by Iran Air to other routes than to the EU.
