First European flight to Baghdad in 35 years lands at Iraqi airport

Baghdad, Dec. 16 - A Greek Aegean Airlines plane landed at Baghdad International Airport on Tuesday, the first European commercial flight to Iraq in 35 years, the country's transport ministry said.

"This is a major step that will open a new chapter for the Iraqi aviation sector and allow it to return to international air traffic," the ministry said. It stressed that the resumption of European flights reflects Iraq's broader strategy to revive civil aviation and restore Iraq's position as a reliable and safe hub for international travel after years of war and unrest, the Iraqi daily Iraqi News reported.

European airlines have not operated direct flights to Baghdad International Airport for security reasons since the early 1990s, when then-Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded neighboring Kuwait.

The country has endured decades of war, from the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s to the Gulf War in the early 1990s to the US-led invasion in 2003 and subsequent insurgency violence, including the rise and fall of the Islamic State terrorist organization.

Iraq is beginning to stabilize again, according to AFP, and authorities are working to attract foreign investment to boost the economy. The Greek company will operate a direct route between Athens and Baghdad twice a week, with the possibility of expanding depending on demand. The same company also launched flights to Irbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan in the north of the country, earlier this year.

Czech press agency

WT.24