Assessment of Air Freight Transportation in Iran; Recommendations for Development and Efficiency Enhancement

Over the past four thousand years, the history of transportation began with pack animals and sailing boats and evolved with the invention of the wheel and steam engine. Air transport, with the ability to quickly cover long distances, has its own advantages and challenges. The volume of air freight transportation in Iran is relatively low compared to overall transportation, and there is a need to reduce costs and increase innovation. Air transport plays a crucial role in transporting valuable or time-sensitive goods in global trade. The status of air freight transportation in Iran has been examined in three main sections. First, the trend of transported volume, both domestically and internationally, has been recounted over the past decade, and consequently, information regarding the performance and market share of airlines in this sector has been discussed. Additionally, the role of airports (cities) in air freight transportation has been scrutinized, and data related to the volume of incoming and outgoing cargo from airports have been highlighted. Finally, a comparison between domestic and international air freight transportation has been conducted, providing an analysis of the performance of airlines in these two domains. To develop air freight transportation in Iran and enhance the efficiency of this industry, suggested solutions include attracting domestic and foreign investors, developing open skies agreements with other countries, leveraging Iran's unique geographical position to establish north-south and east-west corridors in the region, and reducing cargo transportation costs by outsourcing the airport transportation sector to airline companies.