Rejection of Iranian Visa Requests and Cancellation of International Flights Following Escalation of Tensions
The chairman of the board of directors of the airline offices trade union announced the rejection of visa requests for Iranians and the cancellation of international flights following the escalation of tensions.
Following the escalation of tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv and concerns about the expansion of conflicts in the Middle East, international flights to and from Iran were cancelled. Amir Pouyan Rafiei Shad, chairman of the board of directors of the trade union of air travel, tourism and pilgrimage offices in Tehran province, said on Wednesday, October 30 (November 9): “Incoming tours have practically reached zero in the current situation, and many economic-tourism businesses have gone bankrupt or are on the verge of it.”
He added while referring to the successive cancellation of international flights: “Outbound travel, like inbound travel, has been affected by recent developments in the region, and European embassies are dealing specifically with Iranian citizens’ tourist visa requests, and the number of rejections of Iranian tourist visas has increased.”
Amir Rafiei also announced at the beginning of the current week following the flight cancellations: “The beginning of this week, considering the flight cancellations, has resulted in considerable disarray in air travel, and although delays of more than two hours are subject to cancellation law, airlines announced new times or alternative times to passengers, while many passengers did not have alternative options, so they either completed their trips by land or completely cancelled their travel.”
Regarding the challenges that emerged after the flight cancellations, he said: “This situation has turned into a problem and crisis to the extent that it has troubled travel agencies; because hotels and airlines are unwilling to refund costs. Currently, airlines from the UAE and Turkey have closed low-fare flight classes to the Iranian market, and if sanctions conditions are to continue, we will necessarily need a non-Iranian partner in flights, and they must provide facilities, because the market has been created for them, and under these conditions they should not charge special and high rates or limit their services.”
It should be noted that the suspension of flights by airlines from the UAE, Turkey and Lufthansa to and from Iran continues, and the flight situation has not yet returned to normal.
