Iran airports traffic rises gradually after ceasefire, official says
Passenger traffic at Iran’s main airports has risen steadily following an April 8 ceasefire, with more than 57,000 travelers handled across domestic and international flights in late April and early May.
At Tehran’s Mehrabad International Airport, more than 36,000 passengers were dispatched and received between April 25 and May 2, airport chief Ramin Azari said, according to IRNA on Monday. Flights have increased gradually since the ceasefire, he added, following a 40-day US-Israeli war on Iran that broke out in late February.
Azari said over 357 flights operated during the period, serving destinations including Mashhad, Shiraz, Kerman, Zahedan, Abadan, Gorgan and Urmia between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
“These flights were carried out thanks to the coordination and sustained efforts of airport staff across different sectors,” he said.
Seven Iranian airports were targeted during the aggression, with attacks focused more on tourism, passenger and cargo infrastructure than on military facilities.
Iran Air, the national carrier of the Islamic Republic of Iran, resumed domestic flights on April 25 after a 55-day suspension, with its first service operating between Tehran and Mashhad.
International flights also resumed late last month, beginning with an Iran Air Hajj flight to Medina, Saudi Arabia with services to three destinations on the first day.
At Imam Khomeini Airport City, more than 21,549 passengers were transported on 202 inbound and outbound flights between April 25 and May 1, deputy airport operations head Javad Salehi told ILNA.
Of the total flights, 100 were departures and 102 arrivals, with 11,427 outbound and 10,122 inbound passengers recorded, he said, citing the latest weekly operational data.
The busiest day during the period was May 1, with 38 flights, while peak hourly traffic occurred between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. with 22 flights, reflecting operational readiness during high-demand periods.
A total of 11 airlines operated flights to 25 international destinations during the week. Mahan Air accounted for 77 flights, or 38% of total traffic, while Iran Air carried 6,159 passengers, representing a 29% market share.
Istanbul remained the top destination, with 59 flights and more than 12,000 passengers, followed by Muscat, Najaf and Medina.