Iran Air suspends all flights to Europe due to ‘unknown restrictions’

Iran’s main airline company Homa, known as Iran Air, has suspended until further notice all flights to European destinations, with aviation authorities in the country blaming ‘unknown restrictions’ for the decision.

The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran said in a Sunday report that Homa was negotiation with European authorities to resume the flights.

It did not mention weather the spread of a new coronavirus in Iran and other parts of the world had a role to play.

However, secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines said that European restrictions on Homa’s flights had nothing to do with the coronavirus.

Maqsoud Assadi Samani said that the bans have been enacted in line with “the Americans’ pressure on Iranian aviation industry”.

“That shows that Europeans have been following the US on this (particular) issue,” said Salmani, adding that all flights by Iranian airlines except one by the Mahan Air to the Spanish city of Barcelona have been suspended.

Homa had already suspended its flights to destinations in more than six countries in West Asia because of a variety of reasons, including the coronavirus.

The company said in its Sunday statement that passengers will be able to receive full refunds on their flight tickets to the European destinations.

SS