ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s transport ministry said Sunday it will launch three new international destinations to Turkey, India, and Oman via the national carrier in May, following flight disruptions caused by the outbreak of the Iran war in late February.
The new destinations include Antalya in Turkey, Mumbai in India, and Muscat in Oman, transport ministry spokesperson Maytham al-Safi told the state newspaper on Sunday, adding that the next phase will include preparing a comprehensive flight schedule to meet rising travel demand.
Flights resumed in early April after Iraq reopened its airspace following around 40 days of closure during the conflict, which began on February 28. Iraq was caught in the crosshairs of the war, facing repeated drone and missile attacks that forced travelers to rely on land routes and halted a key international transit corridor.
Safi told Rudaw on Friday that Iraq will resume daily flights to Lebanon starting next week.
The US-Israeli war on Iran saw frequent strikes in Iraq, particularly near Baghdad and Erbil airports, carried out by Iran and Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups claiming to target US interests. The Kurdistan Region alone was subjected to over 800 drones and missiles since the start of the war, the Kurdistan Regional Government announced Saturday, with attacks continuing despite a ceasefire since April 8.
According to the transport ministry, the closure of Iraq’s airspace caused significant financial losses. Before the shutdown, approximately 750 to 850 international flights passed through Iraqi airspace daily, with total losses estimated at around $14.4 million.