Iran Air Retires World’s Oldest Airbus A300 After 41 Years of Service

TEHRAN— Iran Air (IR) has retired the world’s oldest passenger aircraft still in service, an Airbus A300, after more than 41 years of continuous flying. The aircraft, registered as EP-IBG, operated its final flight in June from Jeddah (JED) to Isfahan (IFN).

The widebody aircraft first flew in 1984 before entering commercial service in December 1986. After serving carriers in Finland, Turkey, and the UK, it joined Iran Air in 2009, where it became one of the airline’s most notable fleet members.

Photo: By Maarten Visser from Capelle aan den IJssel, Nederland – EP-IBB A300-600 Iran Air CU, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26610950

Iran Air Retires World’s Oldest A300

The Airbus A300B4, designated as EP-IBG, became a workhorse for Iran Air. It regularly operated short- and medium-haul routes across the Middle East and beyond.

Over its lifetime, the aircraft logged nearly 72,000 flight hours and completed more than 25,000 cycles, figures far exceeding the typical service history of this model.

What set EP-IBG apart was its age. It was the oldest Airbus A300 still in active service worldwide, a rare distinction in modern aviation where most carriers phased out the type decades earlier.

The aircraft’s endurance reflected both Iran Air’s reliance on older jets and the engineering efforts required to keep it airworthy.

Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – Iran Air Airbus A300-605R; EP-IBA@AMS;09.12.2010/590bg, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26719252

Why Iran Air Kept the A300 Flying

The Airbus A300 was introduced in the 1970s as the first widebody twin-engine aircraft, offering greater efficiency compared to four-engine designs of the time.

However, by the 2000s, airlines across Europe, Asia, and the Americas had retired their A300 fleets in favor of newer models like the A330 and Boeing 777.

Iran Air’s circumstances were different. Sanctions restricted access to new aircraft, forcing the flag carrier to extend the operational life of aging jets.

EP-IBG became a symbol of this necessity, demonstrating how maintenance teams stretched the service life of aircraft well beyond industry norms.

The plane’s two-class cabin seated 254 passengers, with 17 in business class and 237 in economy.

Engineering Challenges of Aging Aircraft

Keeping EP-IBG in operation required extensive maintenance as sourcing replacement parts grew increasingly difficult.

The aircraft’s longevity highlighted both the technical skill of Iran Air’s engineers and the practical limits of sustaining aging airframes.

Its long service history, including more than 25,000 flight cycles—comparable to many narrowbody aircraft—underscored the intensity of its workload.

Photo: By Shahram Sharifi – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24278351

The State of Iran Air’s Fleet

With EP-IBG retired, Iran Air continues to operate several Airbus A300-600R aircraft. These planes now average over 32 years of age, making them among the oldest widebodies in commercial service today.

While some remain active, additional retirements are expected unless the airline gains access to modern replacements.

The reliance on older models underlines the ongoing impact of sanctions on Iran Air’s fleet strategy.

The departure of EP-IBG marks the gradual disappearance of the A300 from passenger service and highlights the broader challenges of sustaining an airline under restricted conditions.

Iran Air Airbus A300B2-203 reg EP-IBU at Bremen-Lemwerder Airfield in 1987; Photo- Wikipedia

Legacy of the Airbus A300

The Airbus A300 program was a turning point for Airbus, positioning the manufacturer as a competitor to Boeing and McDonnell Douglas. Its success paved the way for later widebody aircraft such as the Airbus A330 and A350.

With EP-IBG’s retirement, one of the last A300B4s has officially left passenger service, closing a chapter in aviation history.

For Iran Air, the aircraft was more than just a plane. It was a symbol of resilience in the face of operational limits, a reminder of the ingenuity required to keep an airline running under constraint, and now, a part of aviation history.

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