Iraq Extends Airspace Closure For An Additional Week

INA

Iraqi passenger plane.

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced on Friday the extension of the closure of Iraqi airspace to all incoming, outgoing, and transiting flights for a further week.

In a statement seen by PUKMEDIA, the authority said: “We announce the extension of the closure of Iraqi airspace to all incoming, departing, and transiting aircraft for one week, starting at 12:00 on Friday, 3 April, and ending at 12:00 on Friday, 10 April, as a temporary precautionary measure.”

The statement added that the decision was based on an ongoing assessment of the security situation and regional developments, and would be reviewed in line with any new updates.

It further noted that airlines and relevant authorities would be informed of any further developments.

Iraq and the Kurdistan Region's airspace have been closed since the escalation on 28 February, when U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered a wider conflict that has disrupted regional aviation and heightened security concerns.

According to the Iraq Economic Observatory, Iraq is losing around $360,000 per day due to the suspension of air traffic, as the ongoing regional conflict continues to disrupt aviation activity.

In a statement, the observatory estimated that the losses amount to approximately $10.8 million per month, based on fees previously collected from aircraft transiting Iraqi airspace.

It noted that before the outbreak of the war in late February, around 800 domestic and international flights were passing through Iraqi airspace each day, up from an earlier range of 700 to 750 daily flights.

The statement added that each aircraft paid an average transit fee of around $450, generating daily revenues of approximately $360,000.



PUKMEDIA