Iran’s Imam Khomeini Airport to host first wide-body A380 passenger jet

The double-deck flagship aircraft carries 525 passengers onboard in three classes of First, Business and Economy.

Operated by Fly Emirates, the super wide-body jet has ever flown to Jeddah and Kuwait and the airline chose IKIA as its third destination for busy line between Tehran and Dubai.

The jet requires special landing and taking-off facilities and IKIA has the necessary higher standards to host the aircraft. Airport spokesman Ali Kashani told Mehr News that during recent months several sessions had addressed the A380 flight to IKIA with Fly Emirates; the higher number of international flights provides the airline with enough numbers of passengers to justify the flight with A380.

“Landing and taking-off of A380 would not disrupt the airport’s routine flight operations since the issue has been well-planned,” added the spokesman, “all tickets in return flight has sold out, which explains why the airline has chosen the airport as a destination,” he said.

Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft. It carries 555 passengers in three classes and 840 passengers in single class; it is capable of non-stop flight in a range of 8,000 nautical miles. Its maiden flight was first in April 2005. In 2002 the company launched its production and in May 2004 its commercial model entered production line. A380 was priced at $296-316mn (in 2006 prices).