Iraqi Airways completes 70% of safety standards to lift EU ban
In a statement to the state-run news agency (INA), Al-Saadawi explained that Iraq's national carrier had reached agreements with specialist foreign companies to help Iraqi Airways and the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) meet the EU safety requirements.
The European Union's ongoing embargo on Iraqi Airways' aircraft has been a significant obstacle for the airline for almost ten years.
The International Air Transport Association's (IATA) international aviation safety requirements were not met by the company, which is why it was banned.
Following the invasion of Kuwait by the previous Iraqi regime and the application of international sanctions on Iraq, Iraqi Airways was banned by the European Union in 1991.
Due to violations of air safety regulations, the ban was reinstated in 2015 after having been temporarily lifted in 2009.
The issue continues despite Iraq's multiple attempts to have the ban lifted, raising concerns about the underlying reasons for its persistence.
According to experts, the primary cause of Iraqi Airways' ongoing European ban is the airline's noncompliance with the safety regulations set out by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
To enable Iraqi Airways to meet international standards, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, ordered the adoption of a new administrative organizational structure during a meeting with a delegation from IATA earlier in November.
According to Maitham Al-Safi, the spokesperson for the Iraqi Transport Ministry, the prohibition is due to the company's failure to comply with international safety standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Until Baghdad completes the safety standards required by the EU, the ban imposed on Iraqi Airways' access to European airspace since 2015 is a significant obstacle for the Iraqi aviation sector.
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