TAKE OFF: Iraqi Airways Makes First Flight to Europe
Twenty years after its last flight outside the Middle East, Iraqi Airways has made a triumphant return to Europe with a flight late last week between Baghdad and Stockholm via Athens.
The move came two almost decades after the carrier’s fleet was grounded and barred from EU entry following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
The Stockholm arrival — which included Iraqi transport minister Amr Abduljabber Ismail on board — is the beginning of Iraqi Airways’ ongoing expansion, which will see the carrier soon land in India, England and Germany.
While there is no word on their exact fleet composition, folks fearful of the airline’s airworthiness can conveniently travel to Iraq on more conventional carriers including Air France-KLM (now discussing future Iraq service) and Nordic Leisure, a Scandinavian charter already serving the Baghdad.
