Bad Weather Forces Flight Diversions and Suspensions Across Kurdistan Region
UR Airlines' flight was diverted to Sulaimani's airport as Erbil and Kirkuk airports halted operations amid fog and winter storms
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Severe winter weather on Tuesday forced the diversion of an UrAir flight and led to widespread flight suspensions at airports across the Kurdistan Region, including Sulaimani and Erbil.
Dana Mohammed, spokesperson for Sulaimani International Airport, told Kurdistan24 that an UrAir flight, traveling from Cologne, Germany, to Erbil International Airport, was diverted and landed at Sulaimani International Airport due to poor weather conditions.
The flight, which belongs to the Iraqi private UR Airlines, carrying 166 passengers, arrived at Sulaimani at approximately 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.
At the same time, Ahmed Hoshyar, director of Erbil International Airport, reported that all flights to and from Erbil had been suspended since late Sunday night due to heavy rainfall and turbulence.
“All arrivals and departures will remain suspended until weather conditions improve,” he told Kurdistan24 on Tuesday. On the resumption of flights, he added: “We do not yet know when flights will restart.”
All flights at Erbil International Airport were suspended on Monday as dense fog significantly reduced visibility, airport officials confirmed. On Monday, Hoshyar told Kurdistan24 that operations were halted to ensure passenger safety, adding that it remains unclear when flights will resume.
Authorities urged travelers to stay updated with airlines and avoid traveling to the airport until conditions improve, emphasizing that the suspension is a precautionary measure to maintain safety amid challenging winter weather.
Similarly, on Sunday evening, adverse weather conditions forced the suspension of flights at Kirkuk International Airport, and a flight to Turkey was also canceled. The disruptions come amid a period of severe winter storms that have affected visibility and overall air traffic safety across many provinces in Iraq. Officials noted that authorities are monitoring weather conditions closely before resuming normal operations.
The weather-related suspension underscores the Kurdistan Region’s commitment to passenger safety, as authorities proactively manage air travel in the mountainous areas during winter storms to ensure secure and well-monitored flights.
UR Airlines, a private Iraqi airline founded in 2018 and commencing operations in 2019, offers domestic and international routes with a focus on competitive pricing, reliability, and passenger comfort, operating a small fleet of aircraft.