Flydubai jet ends 40-day Iraqi airspace freeze

Shafaq News- Baghdad

An aircraft operated by Flydubai crossed Iraqi airspace on Thursday, becoming the first flight to transit the country after a suspension of nearly 40 days driven by the joint US-Israeli war on Iran.

A source at Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority told Shafaq News that the aircraft, heading to Saudi Arabia, adjusted its route away from its previous path through Kuwaiti airspace as a precaution against potential security risks.

The overflight came a day after Iraqi authorities reopened the country’s airspace, marking an initial step toward restoring operations. Manaf Abdul-Munim Ajil, director of Iraqi Airways, outlined that the initial phase will cover domestic routes connecting Baghdad with Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Basra, alongside international services to Istanbul, Cairo, and Amman. He further described the rollout as “a gradual plan to restore operations safely,” with schedules structured to manage traffic flow and meet travel demand.