BAGHDAD,— A passenger aircraft operated by Greece’s Aegean Airlines landed at Baghdad International Airport on Tuesday, marking the first arrival by a European airline in 35 years, the Iraqi Ministry of Transport said in a statement.
The ministry said the landing reflected Iraq’s renewed connection with European aviation networks after decades of interruption.
Officials described the flight as an important development for the country’s civil aviation sector and a signal of gradual normalization of international travel to the Iraqi capital.
European carriers stopped flying directly to Baghdad in the early 1990s due to security concerns following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait under former leader Saddam Hussein.
Those concerns continued through years of conflict that followed the 2003 US-led invasion, which removed Hussein from power and was followed by prolonged instability, internal violence and the presence of armed extremist groups.
Iraqi authorities say security conditions have improved in recent years. The government has been working to rebuild infrastructure and promote foreign investment as part of efforts to strengthen the national economy and restore confidence among international partners.
The Ministry of Transport said the Baghdad-Athens-Baghdad route will operate two flights per week. Officials added that the schedule could be expanded if demand increases.
Earlier this year, Aegean Airlines launched regular flights to Erbil, the capital of the autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq. The ministry said the latest development could encourage other European airlines to consider resuming services to Baghdad.
(With files from AFP)
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