Financial Tribune - A new airline has secured the approval in principle of Iran Civil Aviation Organization, but has yet to receive Air Operator Certificate that authorizes commercial air transport operations, or the import of an aircraft, the secretary of the Association of Iranian Airlines has said.

Maqsoud Asadi-Samani added that the new airline�s permit holder is a former senior official of CAO, Mehr News Agency reported.

Asked about the latest status of international flights, he said, �IranAir has launched weekly flights to Amsterdam after the outbreak of coronavirus. The Dutch capital has introduced new protocols to protect travelers and air travel employees from the novel coronavirus. For example, only passengers holding the residency permit of a European country are allowed to fly to the Netherlands. The Iranian flag carrier airline has also resumed regular flights to London and Paris.�

Asadi-Samani noted that Berlin has not permitted the resumption of flights, while Germany and a few other European countries are gradually rolling back their travel restrictions and are likely to allow flights.

�Spain has not issued any permits for regular flights from Tehran, except for occasional flights to return Iranian citizens to the country. Flights to East Asia, namely Bangkok, Thailand�s capital, and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia�s capital, are being operated by Mahan Airline. India has not yet lifted its quarantine. Last week, IranAir operated a flight to Delhi and returned Iranian citizens to the Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran,� he said.