Iran says potential deal for early jet delivery falls through

IranAir has abandoned plans to take early delivery of a Boeing 777-300ER jetliner because the passenger plane is no longer available, the head of the Islamic Republic's national flag carrier was quoted as saying by Iranian media. Iran had been expected to receive the first of 80 aircraft ordered from the US planemaker in April or May 2018, but Iranian media and industry sources said this month it might get the first Boeing jet a year earlier than expected under a proposal to swap deliveries with Turkish Airlines. "Boeing had proposed to hand over a 777-300ER by summer after Turkish Airlines withdrew its order for it. We welcomed it ... However, when we were almost certain that we wanted the plane, it was no longer available," Chairman Farhad Parvaresh was quoted by Iran's English language Press TV as saying. Industry sources had said Boeing was in negotiations to release at least one 777-300ER originally built for Turkish Airlines, which is deferring deliveries due to weaker traffic following last year's failed coup attempt in Turkey. "We have currently stopped our negotiations in absence of the plane," Parvaresh was quoted as saying.<br/>