Mahan Air Explained

Mahan Airlines, operating under the name Mahan Air (fa|هواپیمایی ماهان|Havâpeymâyi-ye Mâhân), is a privately owned Iranian airline based in Tehran, Iran.^{[3] [4]} It operates scheduled domestic services and international flights to the Far East, Middle East, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia and Europe. Its main home bases are Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad International Airport. Mahan Air is affiliated with the Quds Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Mahan Airlines was banned between 2019-2020 from Germany, France, Italy and Spain due to its involvement with the Maduro government in Venezuela and the Assad regime in Syria. In 2024 the airline was sanctioned by the European Union for transporting weaponry to Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian War. It was also suspected of transferring money to Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The airline is also sanctioned by the United States.

History

Early developments

Mahan Air was established in 1991 as a Full-Service Carrier (FSC) and began operations in June 1992 as Iran's first private airline. The name of Mahan is taken from the city of Mahan in Kerman Province. The airline is wholly owned by the Mol-Al-Movahedin Charity Institute.

Three Airbus A300B4 passenger aircraft were acquired in 1999, and in 2002 A310s and A320s joined the fleet. According to the British High Court, three 747-400s were unlawfully taken by Mahan Air from their real owner, Blue Sky Airlines, in 2008, using forged bills of sale. When ordered to bring the aircraft back to Europe, Mahan claimed it could not do so because it was being investigated by the Iranian authorities for fraud, and the aircraft had to be kept in Iran.^[5]

Since 2006 Boeing 747-400s, Airbus A300-600s, Avro RJ-100s, and Airbus A340-600s were gradually acquired.

The airline carried 5.4 million passengers in 2015 with an average load factor of 77%. In mid-2015, it had a fleet of 60 aircraft. It operates scheduled passenger services to international destinations in Europe, the Far East, and the Middle East. Mahan Air has a domestic route network too.

The airline is affiliated with the Iranian Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard according to the US department of industry and security.^[6] Mahan Air was sanctioned by the United States Department of the Treasury.^[7]

Developments since 2011

On 12 December 2011, the U.S. Department of Treasury announced the designation of Mahan Air as a material and transportation supporter of terrorism, "for providing financial, material and technological support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF). Based in Tehran, Mahan Air provides transportation, funds transfers, and personnel travel services to the IRGC-QF."^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

On 6 April 2016, Mahan Air was banned from flying over Saudi Arabian airspace.^[13]

In 2016, besides Germany and Denmark, Mahan Air started service to Milan and Athens, and to Barcelona the following year. It operated up to 15 weekly flights to China until late 2018.

During the Venezuelan presidential crisis, Mahan Air launched their direct Caracas-Tehran route in April 2019.^[14] In January 2019, the German government banned Mahan Air from landing in Germany, where it had formerly served Munich Airport and Düsseldorf Airport, citing Mahan's involvement in Syria and security concerns.^{[15] [16]} France imposed the same ban on 25 March 2019, and Mahan Air was forced to cancel its 4-weekly service to Paris.^[17] On 1 November 2019, the Italian government also announced that it would ban Mahan Air flights to the country from 15 December 2019. The move came after United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's visit to Rome, during which he urged Italian officials to stop allowing Iranian airlines to use Italy's airspace.^[18] The remaining destinations within the European Union had been Barcelona and seasonally also Athens and Varna since then. However, in April 2020, the airline lost its traffic rights to Spain as well.^[19]

According to the BBC, after Iran officially suspended all flights to and from China in 2020, Mahan Air continued flying to China and elsewhere in February and March of that year.^[20] The data show that although six flights were used for aid, four others were used to evacuate Iranian citizens from China, and there were a total of 157 additional flights with China from 6 February 2020 to 31 March 2020.^[21] Mahan Air was widely blamed for spreading the Covid-19 virus in Iran.^[20]

In October 2024, the European Union imposed sanctions on Mahan Air for supplying missiles and drones to Russia for the war in Ukraine.^[22]

During the Israel-Hamas war, Iran is suspected to have used Mahan Air to transfer money to the Iranian proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.^[23]

In July 2025, Mahan Air acquired five Boeing 777-200ER aircraft, circumventing international sanctions by using a convoluted, year-long process involving front companies, a temporary registration under a Malagasy start-up called UDAAN Aviation, and off-radar ferry flights from Cambodia to Iran. The aircraft, previously with Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary NokScoot, are believed to be for Mahan Air, an Iranian carrier already under U.S. sanctions.^{[24] [25] [26]}

Corporate affairs

Mahan Air is headquartered in Tehran.^[27] Its current slogan is "The Spirit of Excellence." Mahan Air loyalty program, called the Mahan Club "Mahan & Miles", includes access to special lounges and dedicated "fast" queues.^[28]

Destinations

As of October 2023, Mahan Air operated flights to domestic destinations and international destinations in countries across Asia and Europe.^[29] Mahan Air served 45 destinations in 10 countries.^{[30] [31]}

Fleet

Current fleet

, the Mahan Air fleet consists of the following aircraft:^{[32] [33]}

Mahan Air fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers			Notes
			J	Y	Total
Airbus A300-600R	2	-	24	256	280[34]
Airbus A340-200	1	-	30	247	277	Acquired in September 2023.[35]
Airbus A340-300	6	—	30	269	299	Includes Deli Mike.
Airbus A340-600	4	-	42	276	318
Boeing 747-400	1	-	28	436	460
Boeing 777-200ER	5	—	24	391	415	Acquired in July 2025, previously operated by NokScoot.[36]
BAe 146	10	-	-	100	100
Fokker 50	2	-	-	50	50
Total	35	0

Historical fleet

Mahan Air has operated the following aircraft types:

Mahan Air historical fleet

Aircraft	Total	Introduced	Retired	Notes
Airbus A300B2	3	2006	2015
Airbus A300B4	5	1999	2013
Airbus A300-600	11	2009	2023
Airbus A310-300	15	2004	2023
Airbus A320-200	7	2004	2014	Transferred to Iran Air and Iran Aseman Airlines
Airbus A321-100	2	2004	2015
BAe 146-300	9	2004	2015
Boeing 747-300M	2	2008	2022	One aircraft leased to Emtrasur Cargo. Seized by the U.S. Department of Justice and scrapped in 2024.[37] Second aircraft currently in storage at Mehrabad Airport
Boeing 747-400	2	1997	2021	Both aircraft are currently stored at Imam Khomeini International Airport.
Lockheed L-1011 TriStar	2			Operated by Sky Gate International Aviation
McDonnell Douglas MD-82	1	2008	2009
Tupolev Tu-154M	2	1993	2005
Tupolev Tu-204-120	2	2005	2006

Incidents

• On 23 February 2006, a Mahan Air Airbus A310 operating a flight from Tehran, Iran, was involved in a serious incident while on approach to Birmingham International Airport. The aircraft descended to the published minimum descent altitude of 740 ft despite still being 11 nm from the runway threshold. At a point 6 nm from the runway, the aircraft had descended to an altitude of 660 ft, which was 164 ft above ground level. Having noticed the descent profile, Birmingham air traffic control issued an immediate climb instruction to the aircraft, however, the crew had already commenced a missed approach, having received a GPWS alert. The aircraft was radar-vectored for a second approach, during which the flight crew again initiated an early descent. On this occasion, the radar controller instructed the crew to maintain their altitude, and the crew completed the approach to a safe landing. The accident investigation determined that the primary cause was the use of the incorrect DME for the approach, combined with a substantial breakdown in Crew Resource Management. Three safety recommendations were made.^[38]
• On 23 September 2013, a Boeing 747-300 registered EP-MNE operating as Flight 5070 from Kerman to Medina aborted takeoff after V₁ and excursed from the runway. All 443 people survived, and only 13 were injured. The aircraft was repaired and returned to service but would be involved in another accident two years later.^[39]
• On 13 June 2014, an Airbus A310 registered EP-MNX was struck by a passenger bus while parked at Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport. The aircraft was unoccupied at the time of the incident and was repaired.^[40]
• On 15 October 2015, the same aircraft involved in the Flight 5070 incident operating as Flight 1095 from Tehran to Bandar Abbas, experienced an engine failure after taking off from Tehran. The aircraft returned to Tehran and made an emergency landing with no injuries to the 441 people on board reported. The aircraft was almost damaged beyond repair. However, in April 2021, after being in a C-Check and being repaired for over six years, the plane was re-activated.^[41]
• On 24 December 2015, Mahan Air Flight 112, an Airbus A310 registered EP-MNP, rolled off the apron at Istanbul while taxiing at Istanbul Atatürk Airport. All 166 people survived, and the aircraft was repaired.^[42]
• On 19 June 2016, a British Aerospace BAe-146-300 registered EP-MOF operating as Flight 4525 from Ahvaz to Khark overran the runway after landing at Khark Airport and was substantially damaged. All 89 people on board survived with no injuries, but the aircraft was declared a hull loss.^[43]
• On 23 July 2020, it was reported that a Mahan Air Airbus A310-300 registered EP-MNF operating as Flight 1152 from Tehran to Beirut, was escorted by American fighter jets over Syrian airspace. The airplane landed in Beirut with three injuries reported.^[44]
• On 3 October 2022, a bomb threat on Mahan Air Flight 81, an Airbus A340, travelling from Tehran to Guangzhou caused the Indian Air Force to scramble fighter jets as the aircraft passed through Indian airspace.^{[45] [46]} The threat was received at Delhi air traffic control from Lahore air traffic control^[47] when the aircraft was about 200 km west of Delhi. The flight made three circles as it waited to land in Delhi, but was denied. The flight then offered to land at other Indian airports, but the requests were not taken up. The bomb threat was later called a hoax on receiving information from Tehran and only then was the flight able to reach its destination.^{[48] [49]}
• On 26 December 2022, Mahan Air (W5) Flight 63 from Tehran (IKA) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) made an abrupt diversion to Kish International Airport (KIH), as it was approaching Dubai over the Persian Gulf. The Airbus A340 was reportedly ordered to land by Iranian authorities to prevent the wife and daughter of Ali Daei, Iran's most famous footballer, from leaving the country.^[50]

Further reading

• Book: Taghvaee . Babak . [{{GBurl|rx2zzwEACAAJ}} Mahan Air: Iran's Largest Airline ]. Airlines Series, Vol. 13 . 2023 . Key Publishing . Stamford, Lincs, UK . 9781802825831 . en.

Notes and References

1. Web site: About Mahan Air . 4 January 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140104212817/http://www.mahan.aero/dpage.asp?lang=en-us&pid=165 . Mahan Air. 4 January 2014 .
2. News: VIP Interview: Hamid Arabnejad . 28 December 2022 . The Business Year . December 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130509094553/http://www.thebusinessyear.com/vip_interview/1544/hamid-arabnejad . 9 May 2013.
3. Web site: Sales Offices [Iran]]. www.mahan.aero. Mahan Air. Tehran, Iran. 27 December 2022.
4. Web site: Contact us. www.mahan.aero. Mahan Air. Tehran, Iran. 27 December 2022.
5. Web site: Mahan Air & Anor v Blue Sky One Ltd & Ors [2011] EWCA Civ 544]. BAILII. 11 May 2011. 7 August 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923210933/http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2011/544.html. dead. 2015-09-23.
6. Web site: Former Iranian-Owned Boeing Aircraft Successfully Returned to the United States Bureau of Industry and Security . 2025-01-05 . www.bis.gov.
7. Web site: 2020-08-19 . U.S. Sanctions Companies Linked to Mahan Air . https://web.archive.org/web/20200826162647/https://iranprimer.usip.org/blog/2020/aug/19/us-sanctions-companies-linked-mahan-air . dead . 26 August 2020 . 2025-01-05 . . en.
8. Web site: Treasury Designates Iranian Commercial Airline Linked to Iran's Support for Terrorism. treasury.gov. United States Department of the Treasury. 12 October 2011. 27 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20111016172234/http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/tg1322.aspx . 16 October 2011.
9. Web site: Treasury Sanctions Supporters of Iran's Ballistic Missile Program and Terrorism-Designated Mahan Air. 24 March 2016. treasury.gov. United States Department of the Treasury. 27 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20160821163722/https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0395.aspx . 21 August 2016.
10. Web site: Iran Still Operating U.S.-Sanctioned Airline in Support of Assad, IRGC. Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 17 September 2015. 11 September 2016.
11. Web site: Foreign Terrorist Organizations . 28 October 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161104023756/http://m.state.gov/md123085.htm . 4 November 2016 . dead .
12. Web site: EU terrorist list - Consilium. www.consilium.europa.eu. European Council/Council of the European Union. 2 June 2017.
13. Web site: Saudi Arabia bans Iran's Mahan Air from flying into kingdom - Business - NZ Herald News . 7 April 2016 . 20 April 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160420004908/http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=11617375 . dead .
14. News: Iran's Mahan Air launches direct flights to Venezuela. 8 April 2019. 22 May 2019.
15. News: Mahan Air droht Einflugverbot für Deutschland. 22 December 2018. aero.de. 23 December 2018. de. Mahan Air faces landing ban in Germany.
16. https://www.newsobserver.com/news/business/article224852960.html Germany bans Iran’s Mahan Air amid security concerns
17. Web site: Iran's Mahan Air cancels Paris flights over 'sanctions'. 2019-03-19. France 24. en. 2019-11-14.
18. Web site: Italy bans Mahan's flights. theiranproject.com. 2 November 2019. The Iran Project. 2 November 2019.
19. https://www.aerotelegraph.com/mahan-air-darf-auch-spanien-nicht-mehr-anfliegen aerotelegraph.com - "Mahan Air also no longer allowed to fly to Spain"
20. Web site: How an Iranian airline 'helped spread coronavirus'. 2020-05-05. Waked. Bettina. BBC News. BBC News Arabic. en-GB. 2020-05-08.
21. News: Revealed: How rogue Iran airline spread coronavirus through Middle East. 7 May 2020. Arab News. 7 May 2020.
22. Web site: 2024-10-14 . EU targets top Iran officials and airlines, accusing them of supplying drones and missiles to Russia . 2024-10-14 . AP News.
23. News: 2 January 2025 . Iranian plane rigorously searched at Beirut airport over 'suspicious' items, causing anger . 5 January 2025 . The New Arab.
24. News: 2025-07-25 . Iran’s Mahan Air Defies Sanctions, Acquires U.S.-Built Boeing 777s . https://web.archive.org/web/20250810184534/https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/irans-mahan-air-defies-sanctions-acquires-u-s-built-boeing-777s . 2025-08-10 . 2025-09-11 . Middle East Forum . en-US.
25. Web site: 2025-07-22 . Iran Again Circumvents Sanctions to Illegally Receive Five Boeing 777-200s - Air Data News . 2025-09-11 . www.airdatanews.com . en-US.
26. News: Hughes . David . 2025-07-24 . Iran's Mahan Air Smuggle Former Singapore Airlines Boeing 777s . https://web.archive.org/web/20250725023130/https://aviationa2z.com/index.php/2025/07/25/irans-mahan-air-smuggle-ex-singapore-airlines-777s/ . 2025-07-25 . 2025-09-11 . Aviation A2Z . en-US.
27. Web site: Travel Classes . Mahan Air. 25 May 2014.
28. Web site: Mahan & Miles - Terms & Conditions. Mahan Air. 25 May 2014. 10 November 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161110173206/http://www.mahanandmiles.ir/?lang=FA. dead.
29. News: Direct Flights Between Kazan and Iran to Launch in July . 20 May 2025 . islam-russia.com . GSV "Russia - Islamic World" . 19 May 2025 . ru.
30. Web site: Domestic Destinations. mahan.aero.
31. Web site: International Destinations. mahan.aero.
32. Web site: Mahan Fleet . Mahan Air . 10 July 2021.
33. Web site: Airbus orders and deliveries. 30 June 2021. 8 July 2021. Airbus S.A.S.. XLS.
34. Web site: Mahan Air - Seat Map. www.mahan.aero. 2 June 2017.
35. Web site: Iran's Mahan Air adds first A340-200 . 2023-10-21 . ch-aviation.
36. News: Iran imports five B777s via purported Malagasy start-up . https://web.archive.org/web/20251009120329/https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/156507-iran-imports-five-b777s-via-purported-malagasy-start-up . 2025-10-09 . 2025-11-25 . ch-aviation . en-US.
37. https://www.ch-aviation.com/news/137669-us-scraps-emtrasur-b747-following-forfeiture ch-aviation.com - US scraps Emtrasur B747 following forfeiture
38. Web site: Report on the serious incident to Airbus A310-304, registration F-OJHI, on approach to Birmingham International Airport on 23 February 2006 . UK AAIB . 28 December 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120426175207/http://www.aaib.gov.uk/sites/aaib/publications/formal_reports/7_2007_f_ojhi.cfm . 26 April 2012 . dmy-all .
39. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747-3B3 EP-MNE Kerman International Airport (KER) . 2020-11-01 . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation.
40. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A310-304 EP-MNX Tehran-Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA) . 2020-11-01 . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation.
41. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747-3B3 EP-MNE Tehran-Mehrabad Airport (THR) . 2020-11-01 . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation.
42. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident Airbus A310-308 EP-MNP Istanbul-Atatürk International Airport (IST) . 2020-11-01 . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation.
43. Web site: Ranter . Harro . ASN Aircraft accident British Aerospace BAe-146-300 EP-MOF Khark Airport (KHK) . 2020-11-01 . Aviation Safety Network . Flight Safety Foundation.
44. News: 2020-07-23. Iran says Mahan Air passenger plane was 'harassed' over Syria by US fighter jets. USA TODAY. Associated Press. 2020-11-01.
45. News: 2022-10-03 . Iranian plane arrives safely in China after fake bomb scare . en . Reuters . 2022-10-04.
46. News: 3 October 2022 . Indian jets scrambled after false bomb scare on flight from Iran . 2022-10-04 . Al Jazeera.
47. News: Kar . Sharmita . 2022-10-03 . Goswami . Sohini . China-bound Iranian flight with 'bomb threat' spent 40 mins in Indian airspace . 2022-10-04 . Hindustan Times.
48. News: Sengar . Mukesh Singh . Som . Vishnu . 3 October 2022 . Mitra . Chandrajit . Bomb Scare On Iran Flight In Indian Airspace, Air Force Scrambles Jets . 2022-10-04 . NDTV.
49. News: Mukul . Pranav . 2022-10-03 . Bomb threat on Iran-China flight while in Indian airspace, IAF jets scrambled . 2022-10-04 . The Indian Express.
50. News: Iranian football legend Ali Daei says family ordered off flight . 28 December 2022 . Al Jazeera . 27 December 2022.