Mahan Air brings Iranian tourists to Sochi, Russia

Basel Aero, part of Russia’s largest diversified industrial group Basic Element, has announced that Mahan Air’s inaugural Tehran-Sochi charter flight touched down earlier as a part of Open Skies regime that has previously been introduced in Sochi.

The first Tehran-Sochi flight saw a total of 180 passengers were board the Аirbus A310-300.

The charter flight that linked Iranian capital with Russian Black Sea resort city of Sochi, was performed within Open Skies agreement that took effect on October 19th in 2014.

Open Skies allows any foreign carrier to pick up and drop off passengers and cargo with no restrictions on aircraft types, frequencies, and regardless of interstate agreements.

Mahan Air, the second largest Iranian carrier, will operate two more flights to Sochi on March 27th and April 3rd.The flights are fully booked.

Iranian tourists will be accommodated in Bogatyr Hotel in the Olympic Park and Swissotel Sochi Kamelia.

Basel Aero chief executive Leonid Sergeyev said: “It took us eight months to settle all the details regarding direct air links with Iran.

“Basel Aero is planning to sign an agreement with Mahan Air to introduce 28 flights for summer 2015 starting from June 24th.“There will be one Tehran-Sochi weekly flight in June-July.“While in August, we’ll launch two flights per week. Sochi expects to host over 3,000 Iranian tourists.”