IRAN AIRTOUR has resumed Airbus A320 operations following the induction of a 31-year-old ex-Airtours International example. The A320214, EP-MDS (c/n 424), has been in the country since February last year, ADS-B data suggests.
Prior to it appearing in Iran, the jet spent four years on the ground in Varna, Bulgaria. For the majority of its flying career so far – which began in 1995 – it flew for British airlines as G-CRPH. Airtours International was the first, followed by its later iterations MyTravel Airways and Thomas Cook Airlines. The latter withdrew it from use in November 2012.
A wide range of airlines subsequently operated the IAE V2500-powered jet including Aerolus Air (Gambia), Ariana Afghan Airlines, SEAir International (Philippines), Sky Prim Air (Moldova), Terra Avia (Moldova), Safi Airways (Afghanistan), Electra Airways (Bulgaria), Enter Air (Poland) and Asian Express Airline (Tajikistan).
The A320 joins a fleet which comprises four Airbus A300-600s, four A310-300s and seven McDonnell Douglas MD-80s.