TEHRAN, May 30 (Mehr News Agency) -- Iran's Caspian Airlines is planning to add four aircraft to its fleet by the end of current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2007), said the managing director here Tuesday.

Pilot Razzaqi referred to sanctions on purchase of passenger jets as the airliners' main problem, however vowing his company will buy two airbuses and two small Fokker aircraft.

The number of airline passengers drops sharply in eight months of the year, noted the managing director, adding tourism industry can earn the airliners handsome sum if it is boosted.

Following an agreement with Iran's Civil Aviation Organization (CAO), the Caspian Airlines will launch its regular flights to Minsk, Belarus, and Budapest, Hungary, as of June 22, the Persian service of Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) quoted him as saying.

Razzaqi added the company also intends to operate regular flights to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Stockholm, Warsaw, Prague, New York, and Toronto.

... Payvand News - 5/31/06 ... --