British Airways Delays Relaunch of Iran Flights

Date: 22 June 2016 - 21:27

News ID: ۲۸۱۱۴

LONDON (Dispatches) -- The long-awaited resumption of British Airways flights to Iran has been delayed until September.
The six-weekly direct service to Tehran from London Heathrow was due to start from July 14 but has now been pushed back due to "some technical issues.”
News of the route reopening in February was greeted with enthusiasm by British travelers, with tour operators offering trips to Iran registering a surge in interest.
But now those keen to travel on the airline’s first direct flights to the country since 2012, when political tension was peaking following the severance of diplomatic relations with the West, will have to wait.
A spokesperson for British Airways told Telegraph Travel that Tehran remains an importation destination for the airline.
"While preparations for the new route have generally been progressing well, some technical issues have arisen which makes it sensible for us to put back the launch of flights from mid-July to September 1,” the spokesperson said.
"Customers who were booked to fly before September 1 will be notified of their flight cancellation and offered a number of options, including re-routing on alternative dates, full refunds or rebooking them to fly with other airlines. We look forward to opening the route in September.”
BA is not the only airline to seek to resume flights to Iran.
In April Air France renewed its Paris to Tehran route.
Iran’s appeal includes striking architecture, atmospheric markets, rugged scenery and a growing number of art galleries and museums.

David McGuinness, director of tour operator Travel the Unknown said that the Islamic Republic had become one of their busiest destinations of 2016.
The Foreign Office relaxed its travel advice to Iran last July, partly because of "decreasing hostility under President Rouhani’s government,” but still warns against all travel to areas that border Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.