Royal Jordanian first airline to sell tickets for resumed flights to Kurdistan

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – Royal Jordanian Airlines stated on Friday that they will resume flights from Amman to airports in the Kurdistan Region at the start of April.

After more than five months of the flight ban, the Iraqi government on Tuesday lifted the embargo on international travel to the two airports in the Kurdistan Region, in Erbil and Sulaimani.

The ban has been in effect since Sep. 29, four days after the referendum on independence in the Kurdistan Region. Kurdish officials labeled the restriction as merely a ‘political decision’ in retaliation to the independence poll.

In a statement, Royal Jordanian Airlines said it would resume service between Amman-Erbil and Amman-Sulaimani on April 1.

“Passengers will be offered a discounted price of 280 JOD (about $395) for the two-way trip,” the airline announced.

“Travelers can buy tickets from Friday [March 16] through the end of this month to travel between April 1 and June 8.”

The airline also confirmed that it will operate 10 weekly flights to Erbil and four weekly flights to Sulaimani.

Other international airlines are also expected to resume their flights to the two Kurdish airports. So far, only Iraqi Airways and Fly Baghdad airline fly to the Kurdistan Region.

Before the blockade began, Erbil and Sulaimani airports combined were making between 40 and 50 percent of Iraqi's total daily flights, according to past statements by Kurdish officials.

Editing by John J. Catherine