Iraq
Iraqi Airways has been prohibited from operating in European Union airspace over safety violations since 2015. Photo: AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani on Thursday repeated his call on the European Union (EU) to lift its decade-long ban on Iraqi Airways.
The call was made during a meeting between Sudani and European Union Ambassador to Iraq, Klemens Semtner, which also focused on bolstering bilateral ties between Baghdad and the European countries in the fields of trade, investment, energy, and environment.
Sudani "emphasized the importance of lifting the flight ban between Iraq and the European Union, as it hinders the development of tourism and trade between the two sides," according to a statement from his office.
One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, Iraqi Airways, has been prohibited from operating in European Union airspace over safety violations since 2015.
Baghdad has been working to lift the ban. Iraqi Airways was initially banned by the European Union in 1991 following the brief invasion of the southern neighboring country of Kuwait by the previous Iraqi regime.
Experts say the primary cause of Iraqi Airways’ ongoing European ban is the airline’s noncompliance with the safety regulations set out by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
Iraqi Airways has a poor reputation and has been stained by scandals in the past. In 2020, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority suspended a pilot after he allowed a female model to enter the cockpit mid-flight. In July 2018, two Iraqi pilots got into a physical fight over dinner while flying a Boeing 737 with 160 passengers on board. In August 2023, Iraqi Airways had to apologize after a bear escaped from a crate in the cargo hold, delaying a flight from Dubai to Baghdad.
Fly Baghdad is also banned from operating with European Union airspace.
During the Thursday meeting, Sudani also invited European companies to participate in the Development Road project by "increasing cooperation and supporting the initiative."
Spanning 1,200 kilometers, the $17 billion Development Road will run from Basra’s Faw Port on the Persian Gulf to Iraq’s northern border with Turkey. It will include railways and highways designed to transport both goods and passengers, aiming to position Iraq as a regional trade hub.
Officials say the project will strengthen Iraq’s geopolitical standing, boost the national economy, and create thousands of jobs by linking the country to European markets via Turkey. The first phase is expected to be completed by 2028, with full completion slated for 2050.
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