How Big is Iran's Civil Aircraft Market?

Air transport industry has a history of at least 70 years in Iran, with the first airline (Iran Air) registered in 1944. By the late 1970s, Iran Air was the fastest growing airline in the world and one of the most profitable. By 1976, Iran Air was ranked second only to Qantas, as the world’s safest airline, having been accident free for at least ten consecutive years.

Iran has all the required infrastructure for air transport industry such as experienced human resources, MRO infrastructure, national radar and navigation systems, massive airports, etc.

 Facts and Figures

 1. Because of the US sanctions in the past 35 years, Iranian airlines couldn't buy new aircraft, and now Iran has one of the oldest air fleet in the world with an average age of 24.1 years (December 2015).

2. Considering 30 years as the maximum operational age of an aircraft, Iran's air fleet will be retired in the next 6-10 years.

3. This table shows the number of aircraft per one million population for different countries in the region.

Iran's aircraft per capita, which is 2.83,  is just above Russia, Iraq, Armenia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and is far beyond Arab states like Qatar, UAE, Oman, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

4. Qatar, with 75.4 aircraft per million, has the highest rate in the world, while India, with 0.35 aircraft per million, has the lowest rate.

 5. Aircraft per capita index has been changed during the past 10 years for all countries. In this period of time, this index has been doubled in Indonesia (around %110 increase), while in UAE this index has fallen around %40 (this is mostly because of population growth in UAE due to immigration).

6. Transit flights have an important share of total air transport for Arab states, while Iran has a better geographic situation for transit flights between Europe and east Asia.

7. Iran's population is around 78 million (2015) and with a growth rate of 1.5% per year, it will reach to 86 million in the next 6 years.

8. Iran has 2.83 aircraft per million. The world's average of this index is 3.4, while in middle east it is 4.0 and for Turkey it is 6.3. To reach the world's average, Iran needs to replace 292 new aircraft in the next 6 -10 years.

Now, with lifting of the US sanctions on Iran, Iranian airlines are seeking to make another golden age in air transport industry for domestic and international flights.