Qeshm Air
Qeshm Air is a privately-held Iranian commercial airline, founded in 2012, operating domestic flights across 29 Iranian cities and international routes to the Gulf and Europe, using a mixed Fokker/Airbus fleet out of Qeshm International Airport and Tehran hubs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersTehran, Iran
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Qeshm Air does
Qeshm Air (شرکت هواپیمایی قشم) is a privately-held Iranian commercial airline founded in 2012, headquartered in Tehran and operating from Qeshm International Airport on Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. The company sells scheduled passenger air transport on 29 domestic routes across Iran and a set of international routes to Istanbul, Dubai, Najaf, Brussels, Hamburg, and Sparta, alongside cargo and ancillary services (excess baggage, CIP, unaccompanied minors, medical, and pet transport). Distribution runs through a proprietary online booking platform (apps.qeshm-air.com), a 24/7 call center, more than 18 domestic airport sales offices, a network of travel agencies, and dedicated international stations in Turkey, the UAE, Iraq, Belgium, and Germany.
The airline operates a mixed fleet — four Fokker 100s, an Airbus A300-600, an Avro RJ100, and three Airbus A320s — and has invested in significant in-house technical self-sufficiency: an Engine Shop and C-Check capability licensed by the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, a training center holding ATO/MTO, LPR, and ASTO certifications, and an electronic certification system for graduates. These capabilities reduce foreign-MRO dependence under sanctions and were instrumental in returning five grounded aircraft to active service in under nine months, carrying more than 255,000 passengers across over 2,200 flights during the recovery period. Qeshm Air holds AOC, IOSA, and EASA TCO authorization, allowing it to operate into EU airspace.
The revenue model is transaction-based across three streams — passenger tickets, cargo/freight, and ancillaries — with pricing varying by class and route and non-refundable fare classes on both domestic and international tickets. The customer base is broad and horizontal, led by individual leisure/business travelers and cargo shippers, with smaller enterprise demand from petrochemical and government clients. In 2025 the airline appointed a new CEO (Majid Akhlaghi) from the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization, installed a new Board in 2026, signed an MOU with Pazardad Non-Industrial Operations Company to serve the petrochemical sector, and publicly credited a pivot to direct-sales distribution as driving 'unprecedented' performance KPIs.
Qeshm Air firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qeshm Air
- Legal name
- Qeshm Air (شرکت هواپیمایی قشم)
- Website
- https://qeshm-air.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Qeshm Air is a privately-held Iranian commercial airline, founded in 2012, operating domestic flights across 29 Iranian cities and international routes to the Gulf and Europe, using a mixed Fokker/Airbus fleet out of Qeshm International Airport and Tehran hubs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qeshm Air industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Passenger Air Transportation
- NAICS
- Scheduled Air Transportation (48111), Scheduled Passenger Air Transportation (481111), Scheduled Freight Air Transportation (481112)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512), Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Hybrid Passenger + Belly Cargo Regional Operators (THABACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Full-Service Airlines (Passenger + Belly Cargo Integrated) (THABAAAF)
Keywords
Where Qeshm Air is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tehran
- HQ country
- Iran
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices18 records
Markets served
Qeshm Air business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Infrastructure, Personnel, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Passenger Air Travel: Qeshm Air generates primary revenue from selling commercial airline tickets on domestic routes within Iran and international routes to destinations including Istanbul, Dubai, Najaf, Brussels, Hamburg, and Sparta. Ticket sales are conducted through online portals, sales offices, travel agencies, and call centers.
- Cargo and Freight Services: Commercial cargo transport services using dedicated cargo capacity on passenger flights and potentially cargo-specific operations, covering both domestic and international routes. Revenue is generated through excess baggage fees, dedicated cargo shipments, and freight services for commercial goods.
- Ancillary Services: Additional revenue streams include excess baggage charges, special passenger services (C.I.P), unaccompanied minor services, pet transport, medical flight services, and corporate/group travel arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Economy class domestic and international passenger seats |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Qeshm Air product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Qeshm Air is a commercial passenger airline operating scheduled domestic flights to 29 Iranian destinations and international flights to 27 destinations including Istanbul, Dubai, Najaf, Brussels, Hamburg, and Sparta. The airline operates a mixed fleet of Fokker 100, Airbus A300-600, Avro RJ100, and Airbus A320 aircraft, with primary operational hubs at Qeshm International Airport and Tehran's Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports. Beyond passenger transport, it provides air cargo/freight forwarding services, an ATO/MTO-certified aviation training center, and special passenger services such as CIP, medical flights, unaccompanied minor handling, and pet transport.
Product overview
Qeshm Air is a commercial airline providing passenger air transportation services. The company operates a unified portfolio consisting of domestic and international flight services, supported by an online booking system (IBE), customer service portal (CRM), cargo/freight services, and an aviation training center. The core product is passenger air transport with a fleet of Fokker 100, Airbus A300-600, Avro RJ100, and Airbus 320 aircraft serving 29 domestic and 27 international destinations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Domestic Flight Services Scheduled passenger air transportation to 29 domestic destinations across Iran, including Tehran, Qeshm, Kish, Mashhad, Shiraz, Isfahan, Ahvaz, and others, using a mixed fleet of Fokker 100, Airbus A300-600, Avro RJ100, and Airbus A320 aircraft. Available in economy and business cabins with both one-way and round-trip fares.
- International Flight Services Scheduled passenger air transportation to 27 international destinations including Istanbul (Turkey), Dubai (UAE), Muscat, Najaf (Iraq), Brussels (Belgium), Hamburg (Germany), and Sparta (Greece), departing primarily from Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport.
- Cargo and Freight Services Commercial air cargo and freight transportation across domestic and international routes, including cargo booking, airwaybill tracking, damage reporting, and excess baggage freight services for commercial goods and traders.
- Special Passenger Services (CIP, Medical, Unaccompanied Minors, Pets) Specialized passenger handling including VIP/CIP service, medical flight assistance, unaccompanied minor transport (ages 5-12), pregnant traveler support, passengers with reduced mobility, and pet transport.
- Aviation Training Center Services Aviation training services covering flight operations, ground operations, safety, quality assurance, and commercial training programs, including ASTO-certified aviation security training and Language Proficiency Rating (LPR) assessments for flight crews. Operated through training.qeshm-air.com with electronic certificate issuance for graduates.
Quantifiable outcome
- 255,000+ passengers transported in 9 months through recovered fleet (5 grounded aircraft returned to service)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Qeshm Air
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Qeshm Air technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Qeshm Air partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Pazardad Non-Industrial Operations Company (پازارگاد)moderateA memorandum of understanding was signed between Qeshm Air and Pazardad Non-Industrial Operations Company (affiliated with Setareh-e Kavir-e Fars Holding) on the sidelines of the 3rd Iran Petrocom International Exhibition in Kish Island. The cooperation focuses on strengthening air transport services, travel services, and logistics operations support, aimed at enhancing service quality and expanding bilateral activities in support of Iran's petrochemical industry.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Qeshm Air competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Mahan Air: Largest Iranian private airline with a significantly broader domestic and international network; competes with Qeshm Air on premium domestic routes, international connections, and corporate accounts.
- Iran Air: Iran's flag carrier with a materially larger fleet and network; competes with Qeshm Air across most domestic trunk routes and operates the international long-haul network that Qeshm Air's EU stations plug into.
Direct peers
- Iran Air Tours: Iranian airline with a comparable mid-tier fleet focused on domestic trunk routes plus selected charter and Hajj/pilgrimage services; directly comparable on passenger mix and route profile.
- Meraj Airlines: Smaller Iranian private airline operating scheduled domestic and regional charter flights with a comparable mixed older-generation fleet; competes for similar passenger segments on Iranian domestic routes.
- Kish Air: Iranian private airline also based on a Persian Gulf island (Kish Free Zone) with a similarly mixed fleet of older-generation aircraft, serving domestic routes and limited international destinations — the closest size, business-model, and hub-identity analogue to Qeshm Air.
- Iran Aseman Airlines: Iranian airline operating domestic and limited regional international routes with a similar mix of regional-jet types and a comparable mid-tier scale; competes with Qeshm Air on overlapping domestic city pairs and Tehran hub traffic.
- Caspian Airlines: Smaller Iranian private carrier operating scheduled domestic services with a similar older-generation fleet; competes with Qeshm Air on overlapping Iranian domestic city pairs.
- Taban Air: Iranian private carrier operating scheduled domestic services and charter flights with a similar scale and target customer mix; overlaps with Qeshm Air on domestic trunk routes and corporate/group bookings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qeshm Air social profiles
Digital presenceQeshm Air compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Qeshm Air financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qeshm Air leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Qeshm Air funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qeshm Air M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qeshm Air
What does Qeshm Air do?
Qeshm Air is a commercial passenger airline operating scheduled domestic flights to 29 Iranian destinations and international flights to 27 destinations including Istanbul, Dubai, Najaf, Brussels, Hamburg, and Sparta. The airline operates a mixed fleet of Fokker 100, Airbus A300-600, Avro RJ100, and Airbus A320 aircraft, with primary operational hubs at Qeshm International Airport and Tehran's Mehrabad and Imam Khomeini airports. Beyond passenger transport, it provides air cargo/freight forwarding services, an ATO/MTO-certified aviation training center, and special passenger services such as CIP, medical flights, unaccompanied minor handling, and pet transport.
Is Qeshm Air a public or private company?
Qeshm Air is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Qeshm Air founded?
Qeshm Air was founded in 2012. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Qeshm Air based?
Qeshm Air is headquartered in Tehran, Iran, in the Middle East region.
How does Qeshm Air make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Passenger Air Travel is the primary driver. The others are cargo and Freight Services and ancillary Services.
Who are Qeshm Air's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Mahan Air and Iran Air. Direct peers are Iran Air Tours, Meraj Airlines, Kish Air, Iran Aseman Airlines, Caspian Airlines and Taban Air.
Does Qeshm Air have an API?
No public API is recorded for Qeshm Air.
What industry is Qeshm Air in?
Qeshm Air's product category is Commercial Passenger Air Transportation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THABACAO, Hybrid Passenger + Belly Cargo Regional Operators, with a secondary code of THABAAAF, Full-Service Airlines (Passenger + Belly Cargo Integrated). Its NAICS code is 48111 and its SIC code is 4512.