Iraqi Airways Boeing 787.
Iraqi Airways has added 13 new aircraft to its fleet as part of a wider effort to modernize the country’s aviation sector and persuade the European Union to lift a flight ban on the national carrier that has been in place since 2015.
During the Iraq Transport, Logistics & Airports Exhibition & Conference (ITL Expo 2025) held in Baghdad Oct. 15-18, Iraqi Transport Minister Razzaq Muhaibis said the Ministry of Transport “has made tangible progress across air, land, and sea transport.”
“In the air transport sector, we have introduced 13 new aircraft of various models, including those from leading American manufacturers,” Muhaibis said, adding that Iraq has “fulfilled 78% of the requirements to remove the European Union’s flight ban on Iraqi Airways, in place since 2015 over safety and compliance concerns.”
The minister said lifting the restrictions would pave the way for Iraqi Airways to reopen routes to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
The airline now operates more than 40 aircraft, following purchase agreements with Boeing and Airbus. The carrier aims to expand its fleet to 53 aircraft by 2027, including the addition of its first Boeing 787, which was delivered in 2023 to support long-haul destinations.
The country is also stepping up modernization of its airports. Upgrades have been made at Nasiriyah and Mosul airports, and Baghdad International Airport is being expanded to handle 15 million annual passengers instead of 8.5 million.
The European Commission (EC) added Iraqi Airways to the EU Air Safety List, applicable to carriers banned from flying into the European Union when serious safety deficiencies are identified by aviation safety experts, in 2015.
Although the ban remains in place, the EC acknowledged in June that the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority “has made some progress in addressing safety concerns.”
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