EU Ambassador discuss Iraqi airlines ban with Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Thomas Seiler, EU Ambassador of the European Union to Iraq, on Sunday discussed with the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority how to reach progress to allow Iraqi airlines to fly to the European Union.

Agreed w Civil Aviation Authority to regularly discuss how to reach progress to allow Iraqi airlines to fly to the EU. Working closely together on audits, checks and technical assistance.

— 🇪🇺 🇮🇶 Thomas Seiler (@EUAmbIraq) October 8, 2023

“Working closely together on audits, checks and technical assistance,” he said in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Iraqi Airways has been attempting to update its safety standards in line with the European Union Safety Aviation Agency (EASA) to continue operating in the EU airspace, from which it was banned in 2015 due safety standards.

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Also in March, Iraqi Airways discussed with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) reported the Iraqi state news agency (INA) to clarify the extent to which it had passed the requirements that must be resolved in order for EASA to reconsider the flight ban imposed on Iraqi Airways.

In a statement in June, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority denied media reports that Iraqi Airways had been banned since 2009.

"From a technical point of view, Iraqi Airways was not banned from flying except in 2015 due to the company's inability at that time to fulfill the requirements for obtaining a license for the third operator (TCO),” it was quoted by the Iraqi state news agency (INA).