UK-Iran

[DC10FAN]

I am off on a business trip to Tehran early next year and have been looking into route options. Anyone recommend a carrier?
The options I've found:

KLM
The cheapest and I'm GE member but they use a 767 which is a good a/c imo but the KLM ones are pretty basic(seat/IFE etc) and tired-looking now. Connection not great either(3 hrs at AMS)
Lufthansa
How do they compare with KLM? Looking at BHX-FRA/MUC-THR on 737/340. Good connection; @1 hr.
BA
This route is shown as op. by an A321; I assume a BMED route. Anyone flown with them? What is the IFE like?
Emirates
A bit expensive but I've heard many good things about them.

[surely not]

After my recent experiences with connecting through FRA, anything under 2hrs and you could be in trouble. Nil assistance from LH staff when we arrived late at FRA, until we reached the poorly signposted 'Connections' desk.

I shall be doing my best to avoid FRA in the future.

[Morrissey]

Agree regarding the Frankfurt connection of 1 hour being too short. Missed a connection to Tokyo recently. Resulted in a magical mystery tour. Two hour wait at Frankfurt, flight to Paris, 6 hour wait for an awful Air France flight departing at midnight.


Information and assistance from LH staff zero . Adopted some Japanese passengers who were totally lost when we got to Paris and had to catch the bus to a different terminal.

I'd be happier with Amsterdam - at least there is something to do during your wait - casino, museum etc .

[radeng]

Came back from FRA to LHR last Wednesday. Two lots of security for some reason, very friendly, very efficient. The TSA could learn from them - and from the Swedes at Arlanda Terminal 2.

[Wannabe Flyboy]

The BA route is indeed BMed. The interior is basically the same as normal WT on long-haul and has the same seats, food and IFE.

[christep]

And (from hearsay) the business class is the old cradle-style long haul seats?

[Wannabe Flyboy]

That's correct christep - a wierd hybrid those aircraft.

[mutt]

Find out which one is operating to the new airport and fly with them, the old airport is a disaster!


Mutt.

[CargoOne]

I've been flying LH to THR two weeks ago and there was no problem to make 1 hr 10 min connection, even I needed to take Skylink from T2 to T1 and quite a long walk to the gate.
I haven't been checked-in for FRA-THR sector, so I approached LH Transit Desk and been told to go directly to the gate, where my boarding pass has already been waiting for me.
Having all these things done I had another 20 minutes to have a smoke before they started boarding :)

mutt

They all flying to old one - Mehrabad. I\'m not aware of any carrier flying to new airport.

[mutt]

CargoOne,

:confused: :confused: :confused:

Thought it opened earlier this year! It certainly looked ready when i walked around it in March.

Mutt.

[CargoOne]

mutt

Local aviators told me that no one really want to fly there. Airport and terminal are more or less ready but I've been told that it is too far from city centre (I thought that Mehrabad is not close either but locals saying the new one is much more remote). The local rumors expressing confidence that no one will move to new airport unless forced to do that but it will not happen for another year or two.

[mutt]

The Iman Khomeni airport is about 50 kms outside the city so it certainly wont be a fun daily commute! However its a palace when compared to Mehrabad!

We reviewed the airport in March, Emirates were supposed to commence operations on the 15th April!

There has to be more to this than "personal feelings"!

Mutt.

[CargoOne]

mutt

Who knows... One local airline boss told me that Mehrabad will be closed in some 5 years anyway, but within this timeframe operators will try to stay there rather than move.

I think you had an experience of Tehran road traffic. Locals saying that new airport to city centre commuting time is 90 to 120 minutes more than from Mehrabad airport (I'm just relaying their words, I don't have real personal experience). Based on this opinion it is clear that airline who will move there first (especially if we are talking about direct competitors like LH/KL/BA/Alitalia) will loose some customers, even if new airport terminal is much better. So I would expect that all above mentioned operators would rather to make an agreement between all of them to move at once that to move one by one.

ps Emirates still flying to Mehrabad ;)

[ATNotts]

DC10 FAN

Tried Mahan Air from BHX direct to THR. 2 x weekly by 320?