Sulaimani airport reveals statistics

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region (K24) - Flights from and to Sulaimani Airport have been suspended four times in 2015, due to Russian missiles crossing the Kurdistan Region skies, according to the airport’s 2015 statistics that was released on January 3, 2016.

Tahir Abdulla, Director of the Sulaimani Airport, announced in a press conference, “According to our statistics, 574,654 visitors used the airport in 2015. This number has increased by 10 percent compared to 2014.”

Abdulla also said that, “The total number of flights in 2015, minus special planes and fighter jets, have been 6,999 planes which accounts to an average 10 flights per day.”

The overall goods that have been imported through Sulaimani Airport is 9,655 tons. 265 tons of material have been exported. This rate shows 22 percent increase from 2014 for both import and export, according to Abdulla.

Regarding flights suspension and loses Abdullah said that, “In 2015, flights were suspended 10 times due to bad weather and four times due to Russian missiles crossing the Kurdistan Region. The suspensions overall cost the government US$385,954.”

According to Abdulla, Baghdad does not want Kurdistan Region to have its own airway. “Iraqi government does not help the Kurdistan Region airports,” he added without giving details in this regard.

Sulaimani Airport was opened for operation in 20 July 2015. The airport is located in the northwest of Sulaimani, some 15km from the city center.