Iran, Italy to Increase Number of Weekly Flights
October 1, 2000 - 0:0
ROME The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran and its Italian side have reached agreement on increasing flights between the two countries to thrice a week. So far only one weekly flight was being operated by Iran Air to Italy and by Alitalia to Iran with the two sides emphatically calling for increase in the number of flights. Fereydoun Rafieinia, director general for legal and international affairs of Iran Air and head of the Iranian delegation to the talks told IRNA here that the agreement was signed between the two sides Thursday night.
The flights will increase to twice a week in the first stage in coming winter and after a few months another flight will be added to it, bringing the number to three. He said that another provision stipulated in the agreement is, in addition to increasing the number of flights, to establish passenger flights to different destinations in both countries. Prior to the signing of the agreements flights were only operated between Tehran and Rome. According to the agreement, the three weekly flights can be solely passenger, cargo or a combination of both, Rafieinia said, adding that the new accord will prepare the ground for further expansion of exports as well as tourism industry.
He said presently Iran Air operates seven weekly flights to Germany, four to the Netherlands, four to Britain and two to Austria. Meanwhile, officials of the two countries in charge of road transportation also reached agreement on increasing the annual number of Iranian and Italian trucks transporting between the two countries to 4,000 from the present 2,000. At the end of the talks which were held in Rome Friday night, Esmaeil Gholami, director general of the transit and border terminals of the Ministry of Roads and Transportation told IRNA that the new agreement will go into effect as of next year.
Underlining the importance of the agreement, Gholami said such a great stride will result in further promotion of Iran's non-oil exports to Italy, reduction of export tariffs and creation of job opportunities. He said he also discussed with Italian officials the possibility of Italy joining the recent agreement on road transportation reached between Iran, Russia and India, exchange of transportation-related expertise between Iran and Italy and exchange of visits between private sectors of the two countries.
(IRNA)
The flights will increase to twice a week in the first stage in coming winter and after a few months another flight will be added to it, bringing the number to three. He said that another provision stipulated in the agreement is, in addition to increasing the number of flights, to establish passenger flights to different destinations in both countries. Prior to the signing of the agreements flights were only operated between Tehran and Rome. According to the agreement, the three weekly flights can be solely passenger, cargo or a combination of both, Rafieinia said, adding that the new accord will prepare the ground for further expansion of exports as well as tourism industry.
He said presently Iran Air operates seven weekly flights to Germany, four to the Netherlands, four to Britain and two to Austria. Meanwhile, officials of the two countries in charge of road transportation also reached agreement on increasing the annual number of Iranian and Italian trucks transporting between the two countries to 4,000 from the present 2,000. At the end of the talks which were held in Rome Friday night, Esmaeil Gholami, director general of the transit and border terminals of the Ministry of Roads and Transportation told IRNA that the new agreement will go into effect as of next year.
Underlining the importance of the agreement, Gholami said such a great stride will result in further promotion of Iran's non-oil exports to Italy, reduction of export tariffs and creation of job opportunities. He said he also discussed with Italian officials the possibility of Italy joining the recent agreement on road transportation reached between Iran, Russia and India, exchange of transportation-related expertise between Iran and Italy and exchange of visits between private sectors of the two countries.
(IRNA)