Qatar Airways Launches 5th Iraqi Destination

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said he was delighted to see additional flights open up another entry point to Iraq.

“The Republic of Iraq has been on our list of expansion priorities for some time and the last 12 months have seen us move forward very quickly opening up four new gateways in Iraq with a fifth, Sulaymaniyah, starting today,” he said.

“Qatar Airways’ commitment is strong as we continue to build on our already strong relationship between the State of Qatar and the Republic of Iraq,” Al Baker continued. “Opening up Iraq to the world with more travel options and flexibility has always been part of our general strategy to enter underserved markets and give the travelling public to and from such places the ability to travel with greater choice, bringing the world closer to them.”

The Sulaymaniyah flights connect to more than 100 destinations worldwide, including London, Paris, Singapore, Bangkok, Beijing, Johannesburg, Melbourne, Delhi and Mumbai.

Addressing guests on arrival at Sulaymaniyah International Airport, Fathi Al Shehab acknowledged the warm support of the people of Sulaymaniyah and the local authorities.

“We are delighted to have added this new destination to our ever growing international route network and we congratulate the people of Sulaymaniyah on what is a very special day for their city. Qatar Airways is pleased to be able to support Iraq’s rebuilding and efforts with investments in new routes and local economies – and Sulaymaniyah is no exception,” he said.

”As we know, Sulaymaniyah is a huge oil and agriculture market offering ample business for those keen in taking part in the opportunities that exist in Iraq’s current restructuring process. It also has huge tourist potential.”

(Source: Qatar Airways)