Tupolevs Out, Replaced by MD and Airbus

The Civil Aviation Organization of Iran (CAOI) has ordered Iranian airlines to replace Tupolev-154 aircraft with other aircraft effective next week. There are more than a dozen Tupolev passenger aircraft in service in Iran. CAIO’s instruction comes after a number of crashes involving the aircraft. CAIO is also leasing 13 Boeing MD 82/83s and six Airbus A320 passenger planes to replace the Tupolevs. These planes are also very old, but have had superior safety record.