The Association of Iranian Airlines (AIA) on Sunday announced that it has no plan at present to suspend flights to and from Turkey due to the spread of a new coronavirus variant.
“Flights between Iran and Turkey are operated on schedule and there is no plan yet to suspend them until [we receive] an official announcement from the National Headquarters for Coronavirus Control,” said Maqsoud As’adi-Samani, the secretary of the association.
He added that the issue is to be conferred in the next session of the national headquarters. “Airlines flying to Turkey will [immediately] halt the service if the headquarters votes to its suspension.”
Iranian Health Minister Saeed Namaki on Saturday issued an order, restricting travels to and from Turkey for a week in a bid to help contain the new coronavirus variant. In a letter to the interior minister, Namaki stressed the need for closing air and land borders with the neighboring country for a week.
Flights between the two neighbors have repeatedly been suspended in recent months for the sake of coronavirus concerns though passengers are required to observe strict health protocols and hold a well-being certificate with a negative coronavirus PCR test result.
Persian
