EU extends ban on Iraqi Airways flights
Shafaq News/ The European Union has extended its ban on Iraqi Airways flights for another six months, maintaining the carrier’s exclusion from EU airspace, an Iraqi lawmaker confirmed on Wednesday.
The decision comes despite a recent announcement by the Iraqi government that 71% of its corrective action plan—aimed at meeting EU aviation safety standards—has been completed.
Karwan Ali Yarwese, a member of the Parliamentary Transport and Communications Committee, linked the EU’s decision to Iraq’s ongoing failure to meet international aviation benchmarks, citing continued non-compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards, outdated airport infrastructure, and other unresolved safety concerns.
Transport Ministry spokesperson Maytham al-Safi clarified to Shafaq News that the EU’s update was part of its regular biannual review of airlines subject to airspace restrictions, emphasizing that the decision does not represent a new sanction against the national carrier.
Al-Safi also noted that Iraqi Airways has made gradual progress under the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) program. Completion of the remaining corrective actions, he added, would pave the way for the airline to seek Third Country Operator (TCO) certification, a necessary step to resume operations in European airspace.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani appointed Minister of Reconstruction and Housing Benkin Rikani to lead the Civil Aviation Authority and accelerate efforts to meet EU criteria. The leadership shift coincided with the reinstatement of the former Iraqi Airways director and the signing of several aviation-related contracts aimed at regulatory improvements.
Some of these agreements, however, are now under formal review. Iraq’s Integrity Commission, along with several members of parliament, has opened investigations into multiple contracts, citing concerns over possible irregularities and a lack of transparency.
The EU first imposed a flight ban on Iraqi Airways in 1991 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait and the imposition of international sanctions. Although the restrictions were lifted in 2009, they were reinstated in 2015 due to ongoing breaches of aviation safety standards.
