Baghdad Airport receives first European flight after 35 years

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq resumed direct air travel with Europe on Tuesday as the first European aircraft in 35 years landed at Baghdad International Airport, the Ministry of Transport announced.

In a statement, the ministry said the flight followed months of work to meet European operational, technical, and security standards, including upgrades to airport infrastructure. The service, operated by Greece’s Aegean Airlines, now runs twice weekly on the Baghdad–Athens–Baghdad route, with potential for expansion based on demand.

Noting that Aegean Airlines serves 162 destinations and operates a modern fleet, it added that Oman Air also plans to launch European-bound flights from Baghdad, expanding travel options for tourism, commerce, and business.

The ministry emphasized that the return of European carriers improves Iraq’s aviation safety record and supports efforts to lift the EU ban on Iraqi Airways, reporting that 81 percent of the deficiencies flagged under the IOSA program have been resolved.

European airlines suspended flights to Baghdad in the late 1980s amid security risks linked to the Iran–Iraq War, followed by decades of sanctions and instability that curtailed commercial air traffic. In a separate measure, the European Union placed Iraqi Airways on its Air Safety List in 2015, citing safety and regulatory shortcomings.

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