Shafaq News- Baghdad
US sanctions on Iranian airlines have drawn mixed reactions from travel, tourism and ground transportation companies in Iraq, with airlines warning of disruptions while bus operators anticipate increased demand.
Airline companies say the measures could negatively affect their businesses and passengers, given the large share of bookings that rely on flights between Iraq and Iran.
Ground transportation companies, however, have expressed fewer concerns, viewing a possible shift toward overland travel as an opportunity to expand operations and increase passenger numbers. Some operators are preparing to purchase additional buses to meet expected demand.
Airlines Warn of Travel Disruptions
Aziz al-Tamimi, managing director of Aviation for All, told Shafaq News that Iranian carriers operate about 50 flights a day to Iraq.
Those affected include Iraqi tourists, students, patients traveling for medical treatment, businesspeople, and Iraqis residing in Iran, al-Tamimi explained. The sanctions could create additional difficulties for these groups, particularly patients and older travelers, because of the long distances between the two countries.
Iranian airlines have the capacity to maintain air connections between Iraq and Iran, while most Iraqi carriers would be unable to fill the gap if Iranian flights were suspended, he added. Iranian passengers are generally better able to tolerate long overland journeys because of the distances between cities in Iran. By contrast, Iraqis tend to prefer flying between the two countries, al-Tamimi noted.
Iraq is a major destination for Iranian airlines, which primarily transport Iranian pilgrims visiting Shiite holy sites in Iraq, as well as Iraqi travelers heading in the opposite direction.
Iran’s Civil Aviation Organization had announced that Baghdad and Muscat airports, the latter in the capital of Oman, would stop receiving Iranian flights from midnight Tuesday local time, or 11:30 p.m. Baghdad time.
75% of Bookings Tied to Iranian Airlines
Haider al-Najafi of al-Farasha Travel and Tourism said suspending Iranian flights to Iraqi airports would negatively affect travel and tourism companies, commercial activity, and passengers.
Most Iraqi travel agencies rely on Iranian airlines to reach Iranian airports, al-Najafi told Shafaq News, estimating that about 75% of their bookings are with Iranian carriers.
For now, the main alternative is overland travel, he said. Bus journeys are more expensive and physically demanding for Iraqi passengers, with trips to some Iranian cities taking between 20 and 25 hours.
The lengthy journeys are particularly difficult for families and older travelers, adding to the impact of any suspension of Iranian air services between the two countries, al-Najafi added.
Ground Operators See Opportunity
Mustafa Amer, a representative of Sama al-Asima, said a halt to Iranian flights to Iraq would have a direct impact on tourism and travel companies.
His company has no alternative if the flights are suspended, Amer told Shafaq News, adding that the disruption could force it to halt operations and lay off some employees.
The suspension could also cause financial losses and complicate existing contractual commitments with airlines, he noted, saying the company has financial obligations that cannot easily be canceled.
Customers in both Iraq and Iran have already begun asking about the possibility of Iranian flights being suspended and what that could mean for their upcoming travel, Amer added.
Regarding overland passenger transport, Amer explained that ground transportation companies are legally authorized to carry passengers by road, while airlines are not permitted to use buses as substitutes for air services.
Mohammed Ali, a transportation company owner, said the US sanctions do not affect his business, which primarily provides overland services to various Iranian cities. His company serves customers from several Iraqi provinces who prefer traveling by road, Ali noted. The company already has several buses and is considering purchasing more in anticipation of increased demand for overland travel in the coming months.
Iranian Flights Continue for Now
Meanwhile, no decision has yet been issued by the Iraqi government or the Civil Aviation Authority regarding Iranian flights, according to Hussein al-Muhanna, director of Najaf International Airport.
Operations at the airport are continuing normally, al-Muhanna told Shafaq News, adding that airport authorities are awaiting any official instructions and will comply with them if issued.
Najaf International Airport is now under the administration of the Najaf provincial government rather than operating as an investment project, he explained. The airport administration follows instructions from either the central government or the Najaf provincial government.
The US Treasury Department announced on September 8 that it was imposing sanctions on 36 entities accused of supporting Iran’s aviation sector, which Washington says the Iranian government uses to transport “weapons, personnel and illicit goods.”
The administration of US President Donald Trump has expanded its economic pressure campaign against Iran, broadening secondary sanctions to include entities and countries that continue to do business with Tehran. Washington says the measures are intended to cut off Iranian revenue sources and isolate Tehran from the global financial and trading system.