Iran plans Tehran-Manila direct flight
02/16/2009
The Iranian government is eyeing to start the first Tehran-Manila direct flight in three months’ time in a move to intensify the tourism and investment relations between the two countries.
Iranian Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani said Tehran’s Mahan Air, a private airline, is targeting to have four direct flights in a week.
"We will be having direct flights from Tehran to Manila. In two or three months, it will take off," he said in an interview at the celebration of National Day of Iran at Mandarin Hotel in Makati City.
Last year, the Philippine air panel inked the first air services agreement with Iran to address the increasing demand for Middle east-bound flights.
There are around two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed in the Middle East countries.
Rouzbehani said Tehran is set to expand the proposed four flights in a week to 14 flights to cater to airports outside Manila, including those of Clark and Cebu.
"We suggested to having four flights in a week. We are eyeing to expand it to 14 flights, including in other Philippine airports," he said.
Mahan Air already expressed readiness to operate in Manila and Clark-based airports. Once the Tehran-Manila direct flight operations start, the Philippines is expected to at least lure around seven million tourists from Iran, Rouzbehani said.
"It is very important to have Iranian tourists here. I am pushing for that," he said.
He said they have invited Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to visit Tehran as well as officials of the Civil Aeronautics Board that has been negotiating the air agreements.
Earlier, Reza Jafarzadeh, spokesperson of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), announced the Iranian government’s intention to begin the first Tehran-Manila direct flight.
Aside from Iran , the Philippines has reached new and amended air agreements with Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Canada, and Finland.
-- tempo.com.ph --
Tags: tehran manila flight, mahan air, tehran to manila
Iran plans Tehran-Manila direct flight
The Iranian government is eyeing to start the first Tehran-Manila direct flight in three months’ time in a move to intensify the tourism and investment relations between the two countries.
Iranian Ambassador to the Philippines Ali Mojtaba Rouzbehani said Tehran’s Mahan Air, a private airline, is targeting to have four direct flights in a week.
"We will be having direct flights from Tehran to Manila. In two or three months, it will take off," he said in an interview at the celebration of National Day of Iran at Mandarin Hotel in Makati City.
Last year, the Philippine air panel inked the first air services agreement with Iran to address the increasing demand for Middle east-bound flights.
There are around two million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) deployed in the Middle East countries.
Rouzbehani said Tehran is set to expand the proposed four flights in a week to 14 flights to cater to airports outside Manila, including those of Clark and Cebu.
"We suggested to having four flights in a week. We are eyeing to expand it to 14 flights, including in other Philippine airports," he said.
Mahan Air already expressed readiness to operate in Manila and Clark-based airports. Once the Tehran-Manila direct flight operations start, the Philippines is expected to at least lure around seven million tourists from Iran, Rouzbehani said.
"It is very important to have Iranian tourists here. I am pushing for that," he said.
He said they have invited Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to visit Tehran as well as officials of the Civil Aeronautics Board that has been negotiating the air agreements.
Earlier, Reza Jafarzadeh, spokesperson of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), announced the Iranian government’s intention to begin the first Tehran-Manila direct flight.
Aside from Iran , the Philippines has reached new and amended air agreements with Malaysia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Canada, and Finland.
-- tempo.com.ph --
Tags: tehran manila flight, mahan air, tehran to manila