Latest news with #MaithamAl-Safi
Iraqi News
16-07-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraqi PM inaugurates Mosul International Airport
Baghdad ( – The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement on Wednesday that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani opened Mosul International Airport in northern Iraq. Following a successful trial run in early June, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport revealed that Mosul International Airport is fully operational and open to any airlines with the appropriate licenses. The spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Transport, Maitham Al-Safi, told the state-run news agency (INA) that the reopening of the airport represents a purely Iraqi accomplishment carried out under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Transport. Al-Safi stated that Iraqi Airways would be the first airline to operate flights to and from Mosul and that the ministry is willing to collaborate with other international airlines in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Iraqi government laws. The reopening of Mosul International Airport in Nineveh province, Iraq's second most populous province, marks a significant step forward in connecting Mosul to the rest of Iraq and the globe. During his last visit to Mosul last December to check the progress made in the airport's construction, Al-Sudani ordered local authorities to open the airport on June 10 to convey a statement of resistance against terrorism. Mosul International Airport, which was previously destroyed by ISIS terrorists, is the third most important airport in Iraq, following Baghdad International Airport and Basra International Airport. December 2, 2007, marked the airport's reopening following substantial runway and facility upgrades. It was first created as a civil airport in 1990. The airport became a key military site after it was overrun by the terrorist organization ISIS in June 2014. They held it until the Iraqi army took it back on February 23, 2017. Following its liberation, Mosul International Airport underwent renovations. By November 2019, demining activities were finished, and plans for a thorough reconstruction were initiated. To complete the airport's renovation, the Iraqi government inked contracts with SEA Milan Airports and Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie in December 2020. Rehabilitating the northern Iraqi airport is considered critical for improving regional connections and assisting the local economy's revival after years of conflict.
Iraqi News
10-06-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Mosul International Airport about to be inaugurated
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Transport revealed on Thursday that Mosul International Airport is now fully operational and open to any airlines with the appropriate licenses, following a successful trial run earlier in the day. The test flight involved the landing of an Iraqi Airways Boeing 737 on the freshly rebuilt runway, a significant achievement ahead of the airport's formal opening on June 10. The spokesperson for the Iraqi Ministry of Transport, Maitham Al-Safi, told the state-run news agency (INA) that the reopening of the airport represents a purely Iraqi accomplishment carried out under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Transport. Al-Safi stated that Iraqi Airways would be the first airline to operate flights to and from Mosul and that the ministry is willing to collaborate with other international airlines in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Iraqi government laws. The Iraqi official stressed the strategic importance of Mosul International Airport to Nineveh province, Iraq's second most populated province. He characterized the initiative as a major improvement in linking Mosul with the rest of Iraq and the world. During his last visit to Mosul last December to check the progress made in the airport's construction, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani ordered local authorities to open the airport on June 10 to convey a statement of resistance against terrorism. Al-Sudani is expected to fly from Baghdad to Mosul International Airport to commemorate the airport's inauguration. Mosul International Airport, which was previously destroyed by ISIS terrorists, is the third most important airport in Iraq, following Baghdad International Airport and Basra International Airport. The date set by the Iraqi Prime Minister to open Mosul International Airport coincides with the date Mosul was occupied by ISIS groups.
Iraqi News
01-06-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraqi Airways to add 31 new aircraft by 2027
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Transport disclosed a plan on Saturday to expand Iraqi Airways' fleet by purchasing new aircraft. In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the spokesperson of the Iraqi Transport Ministry, Maitham Al-Safi, explained that the ministry has developed a comprehensive plan to increase the number of aircraft through deals with major manufacturers. Iraqi Airways has received 13 aircraft, expanding the national carrier's air fleet, according to Al-Safi. Al-Safi illustrated that the aircraft Iraqi Airways received include five Airbus A220s, six Boeing 737 Max aircraft, and two B787-8s, known as Dreamliners. The Iraqi official stated that eight additional Dreamliners and 10 Max aircraft will be delivered, increasing the total number of modern aircraft purchased by Iraqi Airways to 31 by 2027. Al-Safi stated that Iraqi Airways has successfully returned 14 of the 24 grounded aircraft to operational status, emphasizing that the restoration of the remaining grounded aircraft is proceeding according to a set plan. Al-Safi added that Iraqi Airways currently owns 39 aircraft.
Iraqi News
29-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
MOT: Iraqi Airspace Has Become a Major Air Corridor for European and Asian Companies
Baghdad - INA The Ministry of Transport confirmed on Thursday that Iraqi airspace has become a major air corridor for Asian and European companies. While noting that overflights boost financial revenues and support infrastructure development, it also noted plans to modernize takeoff and landing systems and expand the use of airspace. Ministry of Transport spokesperson Maitham Al-Safi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The increase in the number of aircraft overflighting Iraqi airspace is a natural result of the development of the country's air navigation infrastructure. In addition, Iraq's distinguished geographical location has led Asian and European airlines, including those from Singapore, Malaysia, and Bangladesh, to use Iraqi airspace as a major air corridor for their international flights, and the numbers are increasing." He added, "Iraqi airspace has witnessed active air traffic in recent days, amid a growing trend by international airlines to take advantage of Iraq's strategic geographic location and the shortened flight times and reduced fuel consumption it offers." He noted that "the Iraqi General Air Navigation Company has dealt efficiently with the increase in the number of flights by implementing a series of regulatory measures, including increasing the number of technical staff, opening new control sections, and introducing an advanced system for dividing air sectors according to the volume of traffic. This has contributed to ensuring smooth transit and enhancing air safety. Furthermore, a number of European airlines, most notably Air France, have begun to use Iraqi airspace as a primary corridor for their routes." Al-Safi explained that 'the Ministry, through air navigation, continues to implement its plans to develop services in coordination with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), by modernizing take-off and landing systems at most Iraqi airports, and expanding the scope of use of civil airspace, which enhances the operational attractiveness of Iraqi airspace for international airlines.' He indicated that 'there is a direct proportionality, as the more flights, the more revenues, and the more revenues, the greater the opportunities to develop infrastructure more and more according to sustainable plans and programs to achieve integration, in addition to maximizing state revenues through financial returns.'
Iraqi News
26-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraqi Airways cooperates with IATA to lift EU ban
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Transport reported that Iraqi Airways has met 65 percent of the conditions required to lift the European ban. In a statement to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the spokesperson of the Iraqi Transport Ministry, Maitham Al-Safi, said that swift actions are being made to accelerate the removal of the restriction in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Al-Safi explained that the most recent initiatives involve an agreement between Iraqi Airways and an IATA team specializing in removing the ban. In February, the Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, and a delegation from IATA reviewed the progress made in completing the measures introduced by the committee tasked with achieving the conditions required for lifting the embargo. IATA's Regional Vice President, Kamil Al-Awadi, stated that Iraq has completed 56 percent of the corrective strategy, illustrating that the work is progressing according to schedule. The country's flag carrier has had major issues for almost a decade, with the European Union (EU) extending a ban on its flights owing to failure to comply with IATA's global aviation safety requirements. In June 2024, Al-Sudani emphasized the need to meet the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and IATA as quickly as possible, confirming that lifting the ban imposed on Iraqi Airways is one of the priorities on the government's agenda. The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) confirmed earlier that committing to international standards will help lift the ban imposed by the EU on Iraqi Airways.
