ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s national carrier, Iraqi Airways, emphasized on Thursday its ongoing efforts towards resuming operations in European airspace, a day after the European Union had extended a ban on its flights.
In an official statement, Iraqi Airways emphasized that it is “diligently working to gain approval for resuming our air operations in European airspace,” citing “direct support” from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Transport Minister Razzaq al-Saadawi.
The airline noted that its efforts are part of a “comprehensive program to update operational procedures in line with the standards and requirements of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).”
In a seeming attempt to ease concerns among travelers, Iraqi Airways noted, "We want to assure the public that the ban has been in effect since 2015 and encompasses all Iraqi-registered airlines," underscoring the broader scope of the restrictions. "This is not an issue isolated to Iraqi Airways."
The extension of the ban came after EU aviation regulators concluded that Iraq had not yet met all the safety and compliance benchmarks required for lifting restrictions.
On Wednesday, Nasser al-Asadi, aviation advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, told Rudaw that “due to incomplete procedures for meeting international safety standards, the EU has postponed lifting the sanctions.” He warned that if requirements are not met by November, the ban could remain in place until at least June 2026.
Nasser al-Asadi added that if the required procedures are not completed by November, the ban could be extended again until June 2026. “But we have intensified our efforts to fulfill all conditions and procedures this year,” he said.
Iraqi Airways acknowledged the complexity of the issue, stating that lifting the ban requires “several factors, some of which lie outside the company’s direct control and involve other entities within Iraq’s aviation sector.”
The airline also highlighted its ongoing collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to obtain the IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) certification - a crucial prerequisite for acquiring the Third Country Operator (TCO) certification, which is required for EU operations.
Iraqi Airways noted that it has thus far “completed over 71 percent of the IOSA certification requirements,” reaffirming that it is “steadily progressing towards achieving this national goal” of regaining the trust of European aviation authorities and re-establishing its presence in the continent's skies.
Founded in 1945, Iraqi Airways is one of the oldest carriers in the Middle East. However, it has been banned from operating in EU airspace since 2015 due to repeated safety violations. It remains on the EU’s list of prohibited air carriers alongside Fly Baghdad, with limited exceptions.
The Iraqi government has been actively working to reverse the sanctions.
In late May, Prime Minister Sudani met with IATA officials to advocate for the ban’s removal. At the time, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority reported that 71 percent of a corrective action plan had already been implemented.
Despite these efforts, concerns remain over the pace and transparency of reforms. Iraqi MP Karwan Yarwais told Rudaw on Wednesday that chronic mismanagement and corruption have hindered progress, claiming that hundreds of millions of dollars have been squandered under the pretext of lifting the EU sanctions.
“The extension of sanctions by the European Union will damage Iraq’s international reputation,” Yarwais warned.
EASA is expected to conduct another review of Iraq’s aviation progress before November, which will determine whether the ban will be lifted or extended once again.
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