5 days ago
Test flight lands at Mosul Airport ahead of June 10 reopening
Shafaq News/ A test flight by Iraqi Airways successfully landed at Mosul International Airport on Thursday, ahead of the airport's official reopening scheduled for June 10.
Nineveh Governor Abdulqadir al-Dakhil told Shafaq News, after arriving aboard the aircraft, that the test flight, which departed from Baghdad and landed in under 30 minutes, is part of broader efforts to restore the city's connectivity with the rest of Iraq and international destinations following years of disruption.
'The airport has been prepared in line with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and is now equipped with a modern runway, a fully developed passenger terminal, and an advanced control tower.'
The airport's reopening is expected to take place in the presence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, who is slated to arrive on one of the first official flights to Mosul as part of the inauguration ceremony.
Governor al-Dakhil emphasized that the test landing signals the completion of key reconstruction works and transitions the project into a new phase: the operational management of the airport, noting that negotiations with several international airport management firms will begin after the Eid al-Adha holiday (June 6-9) to identify a qualified operator in line with global aviation practices.
'We will evaluate offers from international firms and hold technical negotiations to ensure that the selected operator meets efficiency standards and enhances Mosul's strategic and economic role,' al-Dakhil added.
The airport project, initially launched in 2023, comes after extensive damage inflicted during ISIS's control of the city between 2014 and 2017. Reconstruction has been financed through the Nineveh provincial budget, in coordination with the Iraqi Ministries of Transport and Interior, the Civil Aviation Authority, and the Border Crossings Authority.
