Mosul Airport not yet fully licensed for operations, aviation authority says

Shafaq News– Mosul

The procedures to qualify and fully operate Mosul International Airport have not yet been completed, Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority stated on Wednesday, noting that the process involves multiple technical and legal requirements.

In a statement, the authority explained that a limited number of domestic charter flights have been operated with minimum technical requirements to serve residents of Nineveh province and support the reconstruction of Mosul, citing “national and humanitarian considerations.”

The authority said nine flights have been conducted since the beginning of January 2026, connecting Mosul with several Iraqi airports. It attributed the low number of flights to marketing factors related to supply and demand, as well as operational constraints linked to aircraft types and ground-handling equipment.

The first international flight from Mosul International Airport departed two days ago to Medina, carrying 157 pilgrims from Nineveh province, marking the first international service since the airport resumed operations.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated Mosul International Airport on July 16, 2025. The facility has an annual capacity of about 630,000 passengers and 30,000 tons of air cargo, and is intended to link Mosul with other Iraqi cities and the wider region.