Venezuelan national airline Conviasa is launching a new route linking Venezuela and Iran…
In this post:
Basics of Conviasa’s Caracas to Tehran route
Conviasa will launch a flight between Caracas (CCS) and Tehran (IKA) every two weeks. Specifically, the flight will operate with the following schedule, starting June 18, 2022:
Saturdays Caracas to Tehran departing 4:00PM arriving 2:00PM (+1 day)
Tuesdays Tehran to Caracas departing 6:30AM arriving 10:30AM
The 7,315-mile flight is blocked at 13hr30min in each direction, and is scheduled to be operated by an Airbus A340-300. Conviasa has a single 25-year-old Airbus A340-300, which used to fly for Air China and Cathay Pacific, among other airlines.
The plane has 255 seats, including eight first class seats, 28 business class seats, and 219 economy class seats. At least that’s what the configuration used to be, though I haven’t seen any interior pictures of the plane in recent years. Probably most significantly for this route, the Airbus A340-300 also has very good cargo capacity. 😉
This flight is bookable directly on Conviasa’s website. It’s interesting how minimal the price difference is between economy class and business class. For a one-way ticket, economy starts at ~$1,033, while business class starts at ~$1,290. An extra ~$260 for business class on a 13+ hour flight seems like a steal. That further reflects that cargo is probably the main motivator here, with passengers essentially just chipping in gas money.
Other interesting flights to & from Venezuela
Given the political situation, this is far from the first “interesting” route we’ve seen to & from Venezuela in recent years:
- As of April 2021, Conviasa launched a Caracas to Moscow flight
- In 2020, Conviasa briefly operated a Caracas to Damascus flight
- Conviasa isn’t the first airline to fly between Caracas and Tehran, as Iranian carrier Mahan Air operated this route in 2019
Conviasa has actually been operating flights to Tehran in recent months. However, the airline has been offering this as part of a tag-on to its existing Moscow service, meaning the plane flies from Caracas to Moscow to Tehran to Moscow to Caracas.
I feel like maybe a Caracas to Pyongyang flight would logically be next?
Bottom line
Conviasa is launching regularly scheduled service between Caracas and Tehran, with the airline planning on serving the route every two weeks. As an airline product geek, I can’t even begin to say how much I’d love to experience this flight, though suffice it to say that I won’t be onboard anytime soon.
I’d be fascinated to know what the demand is like in this market — presumably these planes will be taking off close to their maximum takeoff weight, but how will that be broken down between cargo and passengers?
What do you make of Conviasa’s new Caracas to Tehran route?
(Featured image courtesy of Andres Ramirez)
Very suspicious, as others have said, two pariah countries, and probably correct, arms shipments and goods each country has had sanctions put on them.
Both countries not on my ''to visit'' list, as would be the same for most travellers.
So this will be the only first class product with out a OMAAT review?? :p
An intercontinental flight between two pariah states. Not a good thing. Hopefully regime change will come and we can have less to worry about with weapon and military exchanges between these two pariahs.
This is for weapons and military exchange. There's no secret about it.
I think you need to take one for the team Lucky. You and Ford. spend two nights in Tehran and get back to Caracas then up to miami on AA. sounds like a hell of a story
American Airlines doesnt fly to Caracas. Nobody does anymore from the US. The only way to get there is Copa through Panama City
Old but gold: a 2009 flight report posted in the airliners forum of a Conviasa flight.... Route? CCS-DAM-THR.
Highlights: the "smooth" experience at DAM Airport (using a smaller terminal, dedicated to "special flights"), only 24 (!) passengers on a A340-200 and the lack of basic amenities, such as printed menus or amenity kits...
https://www.airliners.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=966135
Right, they should fly to Pyongyang. They could stop in Tehran.
With the "distinguished" list of countries that Conviasa serves, it seems like the Con Air of rogue nations. I bet some of the cargo flown is pretty suspect.
Maybe airplane parts to avoid sanctions?
CARGO??? On that pig? Surely you jest! Horrible memories of this mistake on wings from Airbus of a 267 seat 340-500 carrying 500 kg of cargo on YYZ HKG. AND the -500 was the long range model. Oy!
There is quite a large Iranian community on the Paraguaná peninsula, working mainly in the oil industry. In fact, Mahan Air sometimes operates direct flight from Tehran to Las Piedras International Airport (LSP) on the peninsula. Mahan Air sometimes operates direct flights from IKA to LSP. Meanwhile, traveling with Conviasa one has to connect in Carácas (CCS).
Seems like one step up from a WNBA player is a high profile blogger. I agree...this is one to let Matthew from the live snd let fly take. Best case scenario they actually detail him. Boarding are clickbait would drop 80%
A political favor to Maduro, as his government trades illicit items to the mullahs.
So, when will we see a review? :)
Seeing that you probably won't be reviewing this one, can you please revisit your plans to review Air Peace? It's been a long time since we've seen a quirky review that is of zero practical value for 99% of your readers other than entertainment (serious comment)
Josh Cahill volunteered https://youtu.be/ahZSN1cvJgE
Nothing surprising really. Awful service long delays, no fuel, rioting customers. What did he expect ?
Many people would rather fly from Nigeria via Europe to another point in Africa as it’s more reliable.
Should we be looking forward for this product review?