By John Lee.
The Ministry of Transport announced on Tuesday that international air traffic will resume transit operations through Iraqi airspace within 24 hours following high-level coordination meetings with regional and international aviation bodies.
The ministry said the arrangements were coordinated with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the European Union and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to redirect international air traffic routes over Iraqi airspace.
The ministry has instructed the specialist departments at the General Company for Air Navigation Services to increase readiness in line with requirements from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), including:
- Ensuring aviation communications systems, radar systems and voice communications are fully operational
- Coordinating with neighbouring countries to confirm the safety and readiness of interconnection lines
- Providing sufficient staffing levels across operational sectors to handle expected traffic volumes
- Ensuring air traffic controllers provide navigation services in line with safety standards and aircraft separation requirements
According to the Ministry of Transport, the return of international transit traffic through Iraqi airspace reflects the restoration of its role as a key aviation corridor and confidence in national aviation capabilities.
Eco-Iraq Observatory reported that Iraq lost about $15,000 per hour in over-flight fees as a result of the temporary suspension of flights through its airspace.
(Sources: Ministry of Transport / Eco-Iraq Observatory)
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