Iran Air

LHR-THR-SYR and THR-LHR. This airline is doing the best it can with the equipment it has. Elderly (I'm assuming pre 1979) B747-200 in both directions. IR unable to acquire new Boeings due to US trade embargo. Apparently they now operate a new A330 on some routes so perhaps this old girl is on her way out. The aircraft was clean enough inside and out but unavoidably threadbare inside because of her age. Little things like my reading light switch operating that of a seat in front of me bits of plastic hanging off the arm rest and one of the loos not flushing properly tell me retirement is long overdue. However all credit to IR maintenance staff for keeping her going as long as she has on this busy route! I'd heard about IR pilots’ legendary landing skills and can confirm that these were the smoothest I've experienced in 27 years of flying. More up to date equipment used on the short connecting flight down to Shiraz: Fokker 100. Seemed well maintained. In-flight service was fine. Food simple but plentiful and seemed less processed than on some western carriers. Crew are very hard working. Unlike western crews in economy they didn't vanish behind a curtain after the meal was served but constantly responded to individual requests for drinks. Mostly male crew quite senior and with an air of quiet competence. Attentive caring but not obsequious which conformed with the approach to service I experienced generally in Iran during my stay. Perhaps it's mandated by the proprieties of public inter gender relations in Iran but I remember a female crew member asking me if I'd like 'coffee or tea'....no smile but with an air of seriousness that one might use when making a sincere inquiry about someone's health. Quite charming really! Finally I'd like to echo the sentiments of a previous user in this forum by confirming that Iran Air are a cost effective means to get to a fascinating safe friendly and civilised country.

LHR-THR-SYR and THR-LHR. This airline is doing the best it can with the equipment it has. Elderly (I'm assuming pre 1979) B747-200 in both directions. IR unable to acquire new Boeings due to US trade embargo. Apparently they now operate a new A330 on some routes so perhaps this old girl is on her way out. The aircraft was clean enough inside and out but unavoidably threadbare inside because of her age. Little things like my reading light switch operating that of a seat in front of me bits of plastic hanging off the arm rest and one of the loos not flushing properly tell me retirement is long overdue. However all credit to IR maintenance staff for keeping her going as long as she has on this busy route! I'd heard about IR pilots’ legendary landing skills and can confirm that these were the smoothest I've experienced in 27 years of flying. More up to date equipment used on the short connecting flight down to Shiraz: Fokker 100. Seemed well maintained. In-flight service was fine. Food simple but plentiful and seemed less processed than on some western carriers. Crew are very hard working. Unlike western crews in economy they didn't vanish behind a curtain after the meal was served but constantly responded to individual requests for drinks. Mostly male crew quite senior and with an air of quiet competence. Attentive caring but not obsequious which conformed with the approach to service I experienced generally in Iran during my stay. Perhaps it's mandated by the proprieties of public inter gender relations in Iran but I remember a female crew member asking me if I'd like 'coffee or tea'....no smile but with an air of seriousness that one might use when making a sincere inquiry about someone's health. Quite charming really! Finally I'd like to echo the sentiments of a previous user in this forum by confirming that Iran Air are a cost effective means to get to a fascinating safe friendly and civilised country.

I have flown on Iran Air for many years but our last couple of flights put me off. On one flight travelling with our little girl of 9 months there were no nappy changing facilities provided in the toilets. We asked one of the stewards and he said "Is this your first time flying with Iran Air?" (ie what do you expect from us). So we had to change the soiled nappy on the floor of the aircraft not very pleasant for the other passengers I am sure! The entertainment is next to nil. Iranian movies are shown via old-style projectors and often the headphone sockets dont work. On our flight the entire left hand side did not work (no sound). On a previous flights although seated in non-smoking some passengers insisted on smoking. I raised this with the steward and he was reluctant to impose authority and ask the passengers to stop smoking. I had to get up and do it myself which is what the crew should have done. The aircraft are very old and safety comes to mind. Overall control of passengers by crew is very low. Aircraft is still on the runway after touchdown and passengers are getting their hand-luggage and standing up without much intervention by the cabin crew.

I have flown on Iran Air for many years but our last couple of flights put me off. On one flight travelling with our little girl of 9 months there were no nappy changing facilities provided in the toilets. We asked one of the stewards and he said "Is this your first time flying with Iran Air?" (ie what do you expect from us). So we had to change the soiled nappy on the floor of the aircraft not very pleasant for the other passengers I am sure! The entertainment is next to nil. Iranian movies are shown via old-style projectors and often the headphone sockets dont work. On our flight the entire left hand side did not work (no sound). On a previous flights although seated in non-smoking some passengers insisted on smoking. I raised this with the steward and he was reluctant to impose authority and ask the passengers to stop smoking. I had to get up and do it myself which is what the crew should have done. The aircraft are very old and safety comes to mind. Overall control of passengers by crew is very low. Aircraft is still on the runway after touchdown and passengers are getting their hand-luggage and standing up without much intervention by the cabin crew.

Iran Air has very good inflight catering - the food is good quality and you have a choice of two entrees both hot meals. However there is a fleet of old Boeings which look like they should be retired and grounded soon and at 30000 feet you really start to think about things like that. Flight attendants are very friendly attentive helpful and courteous however they are also very casual when it comes to safety. They do not enforce safety rules as rigidly as Western or European carriers do and when I alerted one of them that someone had been smoking in one of the lavatories (very dangerous - one of the many causes of cabin fires) his answer was a mere "really?" and that was the end of it. Also passengers were leaving their personal belongings next to their seats where they were cluttering the aisles and one had to be careful not to trip over them and once again the crew members made no attempt to get them to stow their belongings in the overhead bins or underneath their seats. Inflight entertainment is generally a Persian movie with English subtitles and for those who do not speak or understand Farsi the small and fast-moving subtitles can cause your eye-muscles to work overtime. Another complaint I have is that the flight attendants made no attempt to remind those seated in the non-smoking section to put their cigarettes out and being an asthma sufferer I had to remind three passengers in my vicinity that they were seated in the non-smoking section. They did have the good grace of putting out their cigarettes but I did not like being in that position. That was the flight attendants' job not mine. I would like to end my comments on a positive note however. Iran Air offers you the opportunity to fly for half of what Western carriers would charge you making travel to the Middle East easy and affordable. It also offers you the opportunity to experience Persian hospitality which is as old and ancient as Persia (Iran) itself. Crew members are delightfully pleasant and accomodating. Connections between Iran Air and other carriers serving European hubs are generally good and this particularly benefits expatriate Iranians living in the United States or Canada who wish to fly back to the old country on vacation with easy connections in Europe. For business travellers destined to other points in the region Iran Air is a good choice as it services most major airports in the Gulf and Middle East as well as some in Central Asia.

Iran Air has very good inflight catering - the food is good quality and you have a choice of two entrees both hot meals. However there is a fleet of old Boeings which look like they should be retired and grounded soon and at 30000 feet you really start to think about things like that. Flight attendants are very friendly attentive helpful and courteous however they are also very casual when it comes to safety. They do not enforce safety rules as rigidly as Western or European carriers do and when I alerted one of them that someone had been smoking in one of the lavatories (very dangerous - one of the many causes of cabin fires) his answer was a mere "really?" and that was the end of it. Also passengers were leaving their personal belongings next to their seats where they were cluttering the aisles and one had to be careful not to trip over them and once again the crew members made no attempt to get them to stow their belongings in the overhead bins or underneath their seats. Inflight entertainment is generally a Persian movie with English subtitles and for those who do not speak or understand Farsi the small and fast-moving subtitles can cause your eye-muscles to work overtime. Another complaint I have is that the flight attendants made no attempt to remind those seated in the non-smoking section to put their cigarettes out and being an asthma sufferer I had to remind three passengers in my vicinity that they were seated in the non-smoking section. They did have the good grace of putting out their cigarettes but I did not like being in that position. That was the flight attendants' job not mine. I would like to end my comments on a positive note however. Iran Air offers you the opportunity to fly for half of what Western carriers would charge you making travel to the Middle East easy and affordable. It also offers you the opportunity to experience Persian hospitality which is as old and ancient as Persia (Iran) itself. Crew members are delightfully pleasant and accomodating. Connections between Iran Air and other carriers serving European hubs are generally good and this particularly benefits expatriate Iranians living in the United States or Canada who wish to fly back to the old country on vacation with easy connections in Europe. For business travellers destined to other points in the region Iran Air is a good choice as it services most major airports in the Gulf and Middle East as well as some in Central Asia.

CGN-HAM-THR at the end of December 2004 and back January 2005. First of all our flight was originally CGN-THR but due to one or another reason they flew to HAM first filled up the rather old but clean A310-300 with further passengers and then proceeded to THR. The result was that we arrived 6 hours delayed compared to what was previously planned. At least they called us one day before departure and told about the itinerary change. Furthermore we got a voucher of EUR 15- each for use in restaurants at CGN due to the delay. Inflight service was nice food was fine and women did not have to wear the headscarf onboard any more. Also took domestic flight at several occasions when travelling in Iran. THR-IFN IFN-SYZ KSH-THR and BND-THR (intermediate stop at IFN) on F100 B727 and A300B4 were fine on time good catering. They keep an old fleet that well-maintained and clean.

CGN-HAM-THR at the end of December 2004 and back January 2005. First of all our flight was originally CGN-THR but due to one or another reason they flew to HAM first filled up the rather old but clean A310-300 with further passengers and then proceeded to THR. The result was that we arrived 6 hours delayed compared to what was previously planned. At least they called us one day before departure and told about the itinerary change. Furthermore we got a voucher of EUR 15- each for use in restaurants at CGN due to the delay. Inflight service was nice food was fine and women did not have to wear the headscarf onboard any more. Also took domestic flight at several occasions when travelling in Iran. THR-IFN IFN-SYZ KSH-THR and BND-THR (intermediate stop at IFN) on F100 B727 and A300B4 were fine on time good catering. They keep an old fleet that well-maintained and clean.

Tehran-Esfahan-Tehran on a Fokker. Iran Air are a bit dubious on the ground but the service was good in the air. There is plenty of leg room and a very relaxed approach to hand- luggage. The pilots line up for final approach at a very low altitude though which is a bit disconcerting.

Tehran-Esfahan-Tehran on a Fokker. Iran Air are a bit dubious on the ground but the service was good in the air. There is plenty of leg room and a very relaxed approach to hand- luggage. The pilots line up for final approach at a very low altitude though which is a bit disconcerting.