Iraqi PM removes airline director following Baghdad Airport chaos

Shafaq News/ On Friday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani dismissed the Director of Iraqi Airways following recent disruptions at Baghdad International Airport.

The PM’s media office stated, “Following the directive of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to establish an investigative committee to examine and determine the causes of recent disruptions in Iraqi Airways flights, the committee has completed its investigation and submitted its findings to the Minister of Transportation. One of the key recommendations is the removal of the Director General of Iraqi Airways, a decision that has been approved by the Minister.

“We reaffirm the Prime Minister's earlier directives to all service departments, underscoring the importance of delivering the highest level of service to citizens and avoiding any negligence in addressing the essential needs of the Iraqi people. The Prime Minister emphasizes that no leniency will be shown towards any neglect that could harm the reputation of state institutions that are working tirelessly to improve their operations and services across various sectors,” as per the statement.

A source revealed on Saturday, August 31, the reasons behind the chaos at Baghdad International Airport that morning.

“The recent disruptions at Baghdad International Airport were due to an increase in flights and poorly scheduled timings for passengers. This led to the delay of three flights and resulted in congestion and chaos at the airport, with incidents of passengers being assaulted while demanding their rights.”

The source noted that Prime Minister Al-Sudani issued an urgent directive to form a committee to investigate the causes of the flight delays and identify those responsible.” It was also reported that some passengers had to remain at the airport due to a shortage of flights and aircraft being allocated to foreign visitors.”