Editing Iran Air (section)

===The Islamic Revolution===

As a result of [[Sanctions against Iran|economic sanctions against Iran]], Iran Air was unable to expand or replace its fleet.<ref name=AirbusDeal>{{cite web |last1=Zhang |first1=Benjamin |date=29 January 2016 |title=Airbus just sold Iran $25 billion worth of jets including a dozen A380s |url=http://www.businessinsider.sg/airbus-sold-iran-25-billion-airliners-2016-1/?r=US&IR=T#.VrL2F9BhOfQ |location=Singapore |website=Business Insider |access-date=4 February 2016}}</ref> The last time Iran Air was delivered brand-new Western aircraft prior to the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|2016 lifting of nuclear-related sanctions]] was in 1994 when it received two [[Airbus A300-B4]]s in compensation for the downing of [[Iran Air Flight 655]] by [[USS Vincennes (CG-49)|an American cruiser]] in 1988.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/interview-iran-air-ceo-airbus-boeing-orders/|title=On Location: Interview with Iran Air CEO on New Airbus and Boeing Orders - Airways Magazine|date=12 January 2017|access-date=17 January 2017|archive-date=18 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180818193015/https://airwaysmag.com/airlines/interview-iran-air-ceo-airbus-boeing-orders/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/airbus-boeing-iran-air-eu-2016-6|title=Airbus and Boeing are bailing Iran out of a huge problem|website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref>

In 2001, Iran Air purchased six second-hand [[Airbus A300]]s from Turkey, but only after two years, all six of them ended up grounded at airports in Tehran, Mashhad and Moscow. This caused significant controversy in Iran where officials cited [[General Electric|GE]] engine design flaw and subsequent overheating as the reason for grounding the planes. One of these six planes was later confirmed to have returned to service by 2010.<ref>{{cite news |title=هواپیماهای زمین گیر شده ایران پرواز می کنند؟ |language=fa |trans-title=Do Iran's grounded planes fly? |work=BBC Persian |url=http://www.bbc.com/persian/lg/business/2009/01/090119_ka_iranair_behbahani.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329051625/http://www.bbc.com/persian/lg/business/2009/01/090119_ka_iranair_behbahani.shtml |archive-date=2017-03-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=11 January 2010 |title=ماجرای 6 فروند هواپیمای ترک که به انبار منتقل شدند! |trans-title=The story of 6 Turkish planes that were transferred to Anbar! |url=http://www.mehrnews.com/news/1014818/ماجرای-6-فروند-هواپیمای-ترک-که-به-انبار-منتقل-شدند |website=Mehr News Agency |language=fa}}</ref>

As a result of the close [[Iran–Venezuela relations|ties between Iran and Venezuela]], Iran Air launched a route from Tehran to Caracas via Damascus in March 2007. The airline [[Codeshare agreement|codeshared]] with [[Conviasa]] on the flight, and the passengers included Iranian tourists and Lebanese Venezuelans.<ref>{{cite news |author=Romero |first=Simon |date=3 March 2007 |title=Venezuela and Iran Strengthen Ties With Caracas-to-Tehran Flight |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/03/world/americas/03caracas.html |access-date=30 November 2021 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref name="fa607">{{cite news |author=Spaeth |first=Andreas |date=2007-06-17 |title=Nach Diktatur verreist |trans-title=Traveled after dictatorship |url=http://www.faz.net/s/RubB4457BA9094E4B44BD26DF6DCF5A5F00/Doc~EF289C12B1966449DBC702A86FBE7FD9A~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625192742/http://www.faz.net/s/RubB4457BA9094E4B44BD26DF6DCF5A5F00/Doc~EF289C12B1966449DBC702A86FBE7FD9A~ATpl~Ecommon~Scontent.html |archivedate=2007-06-25 |accessdate=10 April 2023 |work=Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung |language=de}}</ref> The service was costly to operate. Iran Air utilised a Boeing 747SP, which consumed large amounts of fuel. In addition, the company had to restrict the number of passengers on the flight from Damascus to Caracas, as the [[hot and high|high altitude and heat]] prevented the plane from taking off with a full cabin and fuel tanks. Ultimately, Iran Air lost over {{US$|100,000}} per flight.<ref name="fa607" /> In October 2007, it handed the route over to Conviasa.<ref>{{cite news |date=2007-10-07 |title=La compañía venezolana Conviasa inaugura la ruta Caracas-Teherán con escala en Damasco |language=es |trans-title=The Venezuelan company Conviasa inaugurates the Caracas-Tehran route with a stopover in Damascus |work=Notimérica |url=https://www.notimerica.com/economia/noticia-venezuela-iran-compania-venezolana-conviasa-inaugura-ruta-caracas-teheran-escala-damasco-20071007182234.html |accessdate=9 April 2023}}</ref>

Prior to the separation of [[Iran Air Tours]] from Iran Air in 2011, Russian-made [[Tupolev Tu-154]]s formed the backbone of the former's fleet. However, several successive disasters involving this plane ultimately led to a 2011 blanket ban on its operations within Iranian airlines, including Iran Air Tours.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/iran-to-ban-tu-154-flights-4224|title=Iran to Ban Tu-154 Flights|date=16 January 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pravdareport.com/business/companies/19-01-2011/116565-iran_tu_154-0/|title=Iran bans Russia's Tu-154 planes|date=18 January 2011}}</ref> The [[Tu-154]] fleet was gradually replaced with [[MD-83]]s over the course of a few months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://flyingwithfish.boardingarea.com/2010/10/15/iran-air-moves-away-from-tupolev-towards-boeing/|title=Iran Air Moves Away From Tupolev Towards Boeing|date=15 October 2010|website=Flying With Fish|author1=Flyingfish|access-date=28 March 2017|archive-date=29 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329050759/http://flyingwithfish.boardingarea.com/2010/10/15/iran-air-moves-away-from-tupolev-towards-boeing/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

According to Iran's Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development in 2014, Iran had more than 100 planes, some of them owned by Iran Air, grounded due to the lack of access to new parts and technical expertise during the [[Sanctions against Iran|sanctions era]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranair.com/portal/home/?news/18437/16079/12404/Over-100-Iranian-airplanes-still-grounded|title=IranAir Official Site-IranAir_Portal-Over 100 Iranian airplanes still grounded|website=www.iranair.com|access-date=2022-02-07|archive-date=2017-03-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170329062944/http://www.iranair.com/portal/home/?news%2F18437%2F16079%2F12404%2FOver-100-Iranian-airplanes-still-grounded|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The prolonged period of time that Iran Air was under international sanctions and barred from purchasing spare parts and new planes led to a dramatic rise in its average fleet age and plunging safety record.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-delforoush/irans-flying-coffins_b_252090.html|title=Iran's "Flying Coffins"|first=Ali|last=Delforoush|website=[[HuffPost]]|date=5 September 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.traveller.com.au/ancient-jumbo-jet-part-of-the-problem-for-iran-airlines-vintage-plane-fleet-2ylpu|title=Ancient jumbo jet part of the problem for Iran airline's vintage plane fleet|date=3 December 2013}}</ref> As of March 2017, Iran Air's average fleet age stands at 24.1 years, though this figure is set to improve through addition of new deliveries.{{Cn|date=October 2024}}

Iran Air's subpar on-time performance, amongst those of most other Iranian airlines, has led to public anger and frustration, often inciting protests in the form of violent confrontations with the airline employees or airplane sit-ins for many hours after a severely-delayed flight has finally landed. Officials routinely attribute the delays to the economic sanctions, although at least one pro-revolutionary ideologue has cited "inefficiency and mismanagement" as the chief cause of this issue.<ref>{{cite news |last=McDonnell |first=Patrick J. |date=1 March 2015 |title=Iran's airline passengers are mad and aren't taking it anymore |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-iran-airline-passengers-20150301-story.html}}</ref>