Iraqi Airways
Encyclopedia
Iraqi Airways Company, operating as Iraqi Airways , is the national carrier of Iraq
, headquartered on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport
in Baghdad
. One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East
, Iraqi Airways operates domestic and regional service. Its main base is Baghdad International Airport.
Iraqi Airways is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization
.
Iraqi Airways was founded in 1945 as a department of the Iraqi State Railways and started operating on 28 January 1946 using five De Havilland Dragon Rapide
s on a service to Syria. With the help of the British Overseas Airways Corporation
the new airline ordered three Vickers Viking
aircraft. While waiting for the Vikings to be delivered the airline leased four Douglas DC-3
aircraft from BOAC in December 1946. In 1947 it ordered the de Havilland Dove
to replace the Dragon Rapides and the Doves were delivered in October 1947. The three new Vikings were delivered at the end of 1947 and the DC-3s were returned to BOAC, a fourth Viking was bought second-hand.
In 1953 the four-engined Vickers Viscount
turboprop was chosen to replace the Vikings and an order for three was placed in July. The Viscount entered service in 1955 and operated all of Iraqi Airways' international services included a route to London. On 1 April 1960 the airline became independent from the railway company and in 1961 placed an order for two Boeing 720Bs for delivery in 1964, the order for Boeings was later cancelled.
In the 1960s Iraqi Airways bought Russia
n Tupolev Tu-124
planes as well as Hawker Siddeley Trident
aircraft. These jets allowed Iraqi Airways to increase service across the Middle East
, to Africa
and Europe
. During that time, cargo aircraft
such as the Ilyushin Il-76
were also purchased. During the 1970s, Iraqi Airways needed a bigger jet for a new route to John F. Kennedy International Airport
in New York
, purchasing the Boeing 707
and, soon after, the Boeing 747
.
The Iran–Iraq War did little to undermine the airline's activities.
The United States banned Americans from traveling on Iraqi Airways after the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait
. In addition the U.S. government accused the Iraqi Airways offices in the United States of being front companies for Saddam Hussein
's government. Since Iraq's invasion in 1990 of Kuwait
, Iraqi Airways was grounded by the United Nations
' sanctions against the country. Iraqi Airways had 17 jets, all of which were moved to secret locations, mainly in Jordan
(some were parked on the aprons of Amman's Queen Alia International Airport
where they still stand today).
Attempts were made to restart domestic services in May 1991 and permission was granted by the UN for the operation of helicopters on limited domestic services. Fixed-wing flights were banned under the ceasefire terms, although the UN Security Council agreed to the resumption of domestic flights. These restarted in January 1992 from Baghdad to Basra
using Antonov An-24
aircraft. Operations were suspended shortly after, following a UN ruling.
However, domestic flights became a rarity too, because of the No-Fly Zone
imposed by the United States and United Kingdom
over Iraqi skies. On occasions, Iraqi Airways would also fly pilgrims to Muslim
religious cities throughout the 1990s.
. Operations restarted on 3 October 2004 with a flight between Baghdad
and Amman
.
Iraqi Airways operated the first domestic commercial scheduled service since the fall of Saddam Hussein
's regime from Baghdad
to Basra
, with 100 passengers in a Boeing 727-200, on 4 June 2005. On 6 November 2005, Iraqi Airways operated a flight from Baghdad to Tehran
, Iran
, for the first time in twenty-five years. The aircraft, as with the rest of the fleet, was operated on its behalf by Teebah Airlines
of Jordan
. Services to Arbil
and Sulaymaniyah
were added in summer 2005.
in almost nineteen years. The flight is operated Baghdad
-Athens
-Stockholm
by a Boeing 737-300
leased from Seagle Air
.
On 22 June 2009, it was revealed that Iraqi Airways had struck a deal with British aviation authorities to resume direct Baghdad-London (Gatwick) flights; the flights were supposed to begin on 8 August 2009 using a Boeing 737-400
leased from Tor Air
and should eventually get the Airbus A320-232
operating the route; this has failed to happen and there has been no news since. They intend on a bigger expansion into the UK and Europe.
On 3 September 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Bahrain
with a ceremony at Bahrain International Airport
.
On 11 September 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Doha
, Qatar
from Baghdad
and Najaf
after a eighteen year break.
On 30 October 2009, Iraqi Airways revealed that they have applied for rights to fly to Malmö
, Sweden
. They expect flights to begin shortly.
On 10 October 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Karachi
, Pakistan
.
On 30 October 2009, Iraqi Airways started seasonal (Hajj) flights to Jeddah
according to their website schedules.
During November 2009, Blue Wings
, a German
airline, began operating flights to Düsseldorf
and Frankfurt
, Germany on behalf of Iraqi Airways. Germany is now the second Europe
an country, after Greece
(now suspended) and Sweden
served by Iraqi Airways since the Iraq war.
On 28 November 2009, Iraqi Airways commenced flights between Baghdad
and Malmö
, Sweden
via Erbil
.
At the end of 2009, Iraqi Airways relaunched their new website. The new website has an updated fleet page, flight schedules, destinations map, news section, flight information and other things. The site also says that Iraqi Airways will relaunch flights to London Heathrow with 3 weekly flights.
ceased operations causing all flights operating for Iraqi Airways to be suspended. They now operate to Frankfurt
with a leased Boeing 737-400
.
On 25 April 2010, Iraqi Airways launched flights to London
Gatwick Airport via Malmö
, Sweden
. The flights are operated twice weekly by a Boeing 737-400
aircraft. When the first flight landed at London, a Kuwait
i lawyer had the General Director, Kifah Hassan's documents and passport seized as well as the plane seized too, this however failed as the plane is owned by Swedish
company, Tor Air
. The plane returned to Baghdad
. However, Kifah Hassan was not allowed to leave the United Kingdom
and went up in court on 30 April. Kuwaiti officials demanded £780 million for the planes stolen by Saddam Hussein
in the 1990 invasion.
On 26 May 2010, Amer Abdul-Jabbar, Iraq's transport minister, said the cabinet had decided on Tuesday to dissolve the company over the next three years and pursue private options to avoid asset claims made by Kuwait over their 1990-91 war.
reported that an Iraqi Airways source confirmed a "very high level" decision to stop IAC's dissolution.
reported that a new blue livery had been announced for IAC, replacing the previous colors, associated with the Saddam-era.
Prior to May 2011, the airline's livery consisted of an all white airplane's belly, with a green cheatline and an aqua green scheme covering the top of their planes. The aqua colour ran all the way to the end of the planes' tails. The tail logo consisted of a green bird inside a white circle, with the name Iraqi Airways inscribed just below the circle, in white colour and in Arabic. The same title was also inscribed over the passenger windows on the front part of the fuselage, using the same colour but written in English
.
.jpg)
Iraqi Airways Boeing
customer code is '70' meaning that any Boeing aircraft ordered directly from Iraqi would have 70 in it. For example, the Boeing 737-800
's that are on order will be 'Boeing 737-870' and so on.
The Iraqi Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of June 2011):
At April 2010, the average fleet age of the Iraqi Airways fleet was 9.9 years.
.jpg)
Iraqi Airways fleet was composed of mostly Boeing aircraft ordered during 1970s and served with the carrier until the 1990 ban on air travel. Until 2003, some of these aircraft were stored in Amman
, Beirut
, Tunis
and Tehran
because of the Gulf War
and ban on air travel in Iraq
. However, some airworthy aircraft operated a few Hajj flights during the 1990s. After the 2004 re-organization, several restored Boeing 727
s and Boeing 737
s, in addition to leased Boeing 767-200
aircraft, operated flights for the carrier.
1970-2003 fleet
Post 2003 that have since been phased out
Five Airbus A310-300
were also ordered in the late 1980s but war related sanctions prevented Iraq from receiving them and they were never delivered. In July 2008, Airbus
sales chief John Leahy ordered the deal removed from its backlog in response to an inquiry from Reuters
about the long-forgotten deal at the 2008 Farnborough Airshow.
, the last fatal incident occurred on 25 December 1986. The airline has had the following incidents, accidents and hijackings with a fatality count of around 70 since they began operations in 1945 and ceased in 2010;
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, headquartered on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport
Baghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. One of the oldest airlines in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, Iraqi Airways operates domestic and regional service. Its main base is Baghdad International Airport.
Iraqi Airways is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization
Arab Air Carriers Organization
The Arab Air Carriers Organization , established in 1965, is a non profit organization and has 24 Arab airlines as members.AACO was established by the League of Arab States . Its goal is to promote cooperation, quality and safety standards among the Arab airlines...
.
History
De Havilland Dragon Rapide
The de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide was a British short-haul passenger airliner of the 1930s.-Design and development:Designed by the de Havilland company in late 1933 as a faster and more comfortable successor to the DH.84 Dragon, it was in effect a twin-engined, scaled-down version of the...
s on a service to Syria. With the help of the British Overseas Airways Corporation
British Overseas Airways Corporation
The British Overseas Airways Corporation was the British state airline from 1939 until 1946 and the long-haul British state airline from 1946 to 1974. The company started life with a merger between Imperial Airways Ltd. and British Airways Ltd...
the new airline ordered three Vickers Viking
Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
aircraft. While waiting for the Vikings to be delivered the airline leased four Douglas DC-3
Douglas DC-3
The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
aircraft from BOAC in December 1946. In 1947 it ordered the de Havilland Dove
De Havilland Dove
The de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
to replace the Dragon Rapides and the Doves were delivered in October 1947. The three new Vikings were delivered at the end of 1947 and the DC-3s were returned to BOAC, a fourth Viking was bought second-hand.
In 1953 the four-engined Vickers Viscount
Vickers Viscount
The Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
turboprop was chosen to replace the Vikings and an order for three was placed in July. The Viscount entered service in 1955 and operated all of Iraqi Airways' international services included a route to London. On 1 April 1960 the airline became independent from the railway company and in 1961 placed an order for two Boeing 720Bs for delivery in 1964, the order for Boeings was later cancelled.
In the 1960s Iraqi Airways bought Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n Tupolev Tu-124
Tupolev Tu-124
The Tupolev Tu-124 was a 56 passenger short range twinjet airliner built in the Soviet Union. It was the world's first turbofan-powered airliner.- Design and development :...
planes as well as Hawker Siddeley Trident
Hawker Siddeley Trident
The Hawker Siddeley HS 121 Trident was a British short/medium-range three-engined jet airliner designed by de Havilland and built by Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s and 1970s...
aircraft. These jets allowed Iraqi Airways to increase service across the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. During that time, cargo aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
such as the Ilyushin Il-76
Ilyushin Il-76
The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
were also purchased. During the 1970s, Iraqi Airways needed a bigger jet for a new route to John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, purchasing the Boeing 707
Boeing 707
The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
and, soon after, the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
.
The Iran–Iraq War did little to undermine the airline's activities.
The United States banned Americans from traveling on Iraqi Airways after the Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
. In addition the U.S. government accused the Iraqi Airways offices in the United States of being front companies for Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's government. Since Iraq's invasion in 1990 of Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
, Iraqi Airways was grounded by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
' sanctions against the country. Iraqi Airways had 17 jets, all of which were moved to secret locations, mainly in Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
(some were parked on the aprons of Amman's Queen Alia International Airport
Queen Alia International Airport
Queen Alia International Airport is Jordan's largest airport that is situated in Zizya area, 20 miles south of Amman. The airport has three terminals: two passenger terminals and one cargo terminal. It is the home hub of Royal Jordanian Airlines, the national flag carrier, as well as being a...
where they still stand today).
Attempts were made to restart domestic services in May 1991 and permission was granted by the UN for the operation of helicopters on limited domestic services. Fixed-wing flights were banned under the ceasefire terms, although the UN Security Council agreed to the resumption of domestic flights. These restarted in January 1992 from Baghdad to Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
using Antonov An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
aircraft. Operations were suspended shortly after, following a UN ruling.
However, domestic flights became a rarity too, because of the No-Fly Zone
Iraqi no-fly zones
The Iraqi no-fly zones were a set of two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War of 1991 to protect the Kurdish people in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south. Iraqi aircraft were forbidden from flying inside the zones...
imposed by the United States and United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
over Iraqi skies. On occasions, Iraqi Airways would also fly pilgrims to Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
religious cities throughout the 1990s.
Revival
After the War in Iraq, on 30 May 2003, Iraqi Airways announced plans to resume international services. The rights to the Iraqi Airways name was transferred to a new and separate company called Iraqi Airways Company which would build a new airline and protect it from the legal problems related to the regime of Saddam HusseinSaddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
. Operations restarted on 3 October 2004 with a flight between Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Amman
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
.
Iraqi Airways operated the first domestic commercial scheduled service since the fall of Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
's regime from Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, with 100 passengers in a Boeing 727-200, on 4 June 2005. On 6 November 2005, Iraqi Airways operated a flight from Baghdad to Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, for the first time in twenty-five years. The aircraft, as with the rest of the fleet, was operated on its behalf by Teebah Airlines
Teebah Airlines
Teebah Airlines was a Sierra Leone registered charter airline based in Amman, Jordan, leasing its aircraft out to other airlines on demand. Its main base was Queen Alia International Airport.-History:...
of Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
. Services to Arbil
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
and Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah
Sulaymaniyah is a city in Iraqi Kurdistan, Iraq. It is the capital of Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Sulaymaniyah is surrounded by the Azmar Range, Goizja Range and the Qaiwan Range in the north east, Baranan Mountain in the south and the Tasluje Hills in the west. The city has a semi-arid climate with...
were added in summer 2005.
2009
In March 2009, Iraqi Airways began its first flights to SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in almost nineteen years. The flight is operated Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
-Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
-Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
by a Boeing 737-300
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
leased from Seagle Air
Seagle Air
Seagle Air is a charter airline based in Trenčín, Slovakia. It had its operations out of M. R. Štefánik Airport in Bratislava, with a second base in Prague...
.
On 22 June 2009, it was revealed that Iraqi Airways had struck a deal with British aviation authorities to resume direct Baghdad-London (Gatwick) flights; the flights were supposed to begin on 8 August 2009 using a Boeing 737-400
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
leased from Tor Air
Tor Air
Tor Air is a charter airline based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its main base is Gothenburg City Airport.-History:The company was established by private investors and received a Swedish Air Operators Certificate on 1 December 2008. It commenced operations in December 2008 with a Boeing 737-400 leased...
and should eventually get the Airbus A320-232
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
operating the route; this has failed to happen and there has been no news since. They intend on a bigger expansion into the UK and Europe.
On 3 September 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
with a ceremony at Bahrain International Airport
Bahrain International Airport
Bahrain International Airport is an international airport located in Muharraq, an island on the northern tip of Bahrain, about northeast of the capital Manama...
.
On 11 September 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Doha
Doha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
from Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
after a eighteen year break.
On 30 October 2009, Iraqi Airways revealed that they have applied for rights to fly to Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. They expect flights to begin shortly.
On 10 October 2009, Iraqi Airways resumed flights to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
On 30 October 2009, Iraqi Airways started seasonal (Hajj) flights to Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
according to their website schedules.
During November 2009, Blue Wings
Blue Wings
Blue Wings AG was a charter airline based in Germany, focussing on serving Turkey, the Middle East and Russia from its base at Düsseldorf International Airport; the headquarters were in Bocholt, Germany.- History :...
, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
airline, began operating flights to Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany on behalf of Iraqi Airways. Germany is now the second Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an country, after Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
(now suspended) and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
served by Iraqi Airways since the Iraq war.
On 28 November 2009, Iraqi Airways commenced flights between Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
via Erbil
Arbil
Arbil / Hewlêr is the fourth largest city in Iraq after Baghdad, Basra and Mosul...
.
At the end of 2009, Iraqi Airways relaunched their new website. The new website has an updated fleet page, flight schedules, destinations map, news section, flight information and other things. The site also says that Iraqi Airways will relaunch flights to London Heathrow with 3 weekly flights.
2010
On 13 January 2010, Blue WingsBlue Wings
Blue Wings AG was a charter airline based in Germany, focussing on serving Turkey, the Middle East and Russia from its base at Düsseldorf International Airport; the headquarters were in Bocholt, Germany.- History :...
ceased operations causing all flights operating for Iraqi Airways to be suspended. They now operate to Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
with a leased Boeing 737-400
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
.
On 25 April 2010, Iraqi Airways launched flights to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Gatwick Airport via Malmö
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The flights are operated twice weekly by a Boeing 737-400
Boeing 737 Classic
The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
aircraft. When the first flight landed at London, a Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
i lawyer had the General Director, Kifah Hassan's documents and passport seized as well as the plane seized too, this however failed as the plane is owned by Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
company, Tor Air
Tor Air
Tor Air is a charter airline based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its main base is Gothenburg City Airport.-History:The company was established by private investors and received a Swedish Air Operators Certificate on 1 December 2008. It commenced operations in December 2008 with a Boeing 737-400 leased...
. The plane returned to Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. However, Kifah Hassan was not allowed to leave the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and went up in court on 30 April. Kuwaiti officials demanded £780 million for the planes stolen by Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
in the 1990 invasion.
On 26 May 2010, Amer Abdul-Jabbar, Iraq's transport minister, said the cabinet had decided on Tuesday to dissolve the company over the next three years and pursue private options to avoid asset claims made by Kuwait over their 1990-91 war.
2011
In early May 2011, the Middle East Economic DigestMEED
MEED is a 54-year-old business intelligence tool for the Middle East and North Africa , providing analysis and commentary on Middle Eastern markets, companies, people and data on the regional projects market.-MEED Magazine:...
reported that an Iraqi Airways source confirmed a "very high level" decision to stop IAC's dissolution.
Livery
In May 2011, the Middle East Economic DigestMEED
MEED is a 54-year-old business intelligence tool for the Middle East and North Africa , providing analysis and commentary on Middle Eastern markets, companies, people and data on the regional projects market.-MEED Magazine:...
reported that a new blue livery had been announced for IAC, replacing the previous colors, associated with the Saddam-era.
Prior to May 2011, the airline's livery consisted of an all white airplane's belly, with a green cheatline and an aqua green scheme covering the top of their planes. The aqua colour ran all the way to the end of the planes' tails. The tail logo consisted of a green bird inside a white circle, with the name Iraqi Airways inscribed just below the circle, in white colour and in Arabic. The same title was also inscribed over the passenger windows on the front part of the fuselage, using the same colour but written in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
.
Destinations
Iraqi Airways serves 5 domestic and 12 international destinations in 10 different countries on 3 different continents.Fleet
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
customer code is '70' meaning that any Boeing aircraft ordered directly from Iraqi would have 70 in it. For example, the Boeing 737-800
Boeing 737 Next Generation
The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
's that are on order will be 'Boeing 737-870' and so on.
The Iraqi Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft (as of June 2011):
| Aircraft | In Fleet | Orders | Options | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | |||||
| Airbus A300B4 Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | VIP | Operating for Government of Iraq |
| Airbus A300-600F Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | Operated by Rus Aviation RUS Aviation RUS Aviation is an all cargo airline based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It operates scheduled and charter cargo flights to Afghanistan, Iraq, UAE. Its main base is Sharjah International Airport.... |
| Airbus A300-600R Airbus A300 The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS... |
1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | Operated by Rus Aviation RUS Aviation RUS Aviation is an all cargo airline based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. It operates scheduled and charter cargo flights to Afghanistan, Iraq, UAE. Its main base is Sharjah International Airport.... stored at DRS for Cargo conversion |
| Boeing 737-200 Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 132 | 132 | |
| Boeing 737-300 Boeing 737 Classic The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new... |
3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 operated by Magnolia Magnolia Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol.... 1 operated by AVE AVE Alta Velocidad Española is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to . The name is literally translated from Spanish as "Spanish High Speed", but also a play on the word , meaning "bird".AVE trains run on a network of... |
| Boeing 737-400 Boeing 737 Classic The Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 162 | 162 | Operated by East Air East Air East Air is a charter airline based in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The airline provides charter services for various airlines and at April 2010, they operate flights for Eastok Avia and Iraqi Airways.-History:... |
| Boeing 737-700 Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 125 | 137 | |
| Boeing 737-800 Boeing 737 Next Generation The Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners... |
1 | 30 | 10 | TBA | 1 Operated by Travel Service Travel Service Travel Service may refer to one of three sister European airlines:* Travel Service * Travel Service * Travel Service... Order entry into service: 2012 onwards |
||
| Boeing 747-400 Boeing 747-400 The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe... |
1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | Operating for Government of Iraq stored at ADJ |
| Boeing 767-300ER Boeing 767 The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail... |
2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 1 operated by Royal Falcon Royal Falcon -History:In 2007, inspired by the vision of His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan, Royal Falcon Airlines was set up as a second air carrier. The operation was launched on a non-scheduled basis and under the invaluable guidance and directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II... |
| Boeing 787-8 | 0 | 10 | 5 | TBA | Entry into service: 2019 1 will operate for Government of Iraq |
||
| Bombardier CRJ-900ER | 6 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 90 | 90 | |
| Total | 21 | 44 | 25 | Last updated: 2 August 2011 | |||
At April 2010, the average fleet age of the Iraqi Airways fleet was 9.9 years.
Modernization
Iraqi Airways began to modernize their fleet in 2009;- In May 2008, the Iraqi government signed a $2.2 billion contract with BoeingBoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
for 30 Boeing 737-800Boeing 737 Next GenerationThe Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
with an option for an additional 10. They are also working on a deal involving the order of ten Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which would allow for long range service but the contract has not been finalized. Another contract worth $398 million was signed for 10 CRJ-900ER aircraft with ten options from the aircraft manufacturer BombardierBombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
. The first CRJ-900ER was delivered in October, 2008. This resulted in a lawsuit against Bombardier by Kuwait AirwaysKuwait AirwaysKuwait Airways is the national airline of Kuwait, with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport, Al Farwaniyah Governorate. It operates scheduled international services throughout the Middle East, to the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and North America, from its...
. Kuwait claims to have won $1.2 billion dollars in judgments against Iraqi Airways as a result of the Gulf War. The Canadian judge ruled that he did not have jurisdiction because the case involved a foreign government since the purchaser of the aircraft is the government of Iraq not Iraqi Airways. The lawsuit by Kuwait AirwaysKuwait AirwaysKuwait Airways is the national airline of Kuwait, with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport, Al Farwaniyah Governorate. It operates scheduled international services throughout the Middle East, to the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and North America, from its...
has since been settled in 2009 with Iraq agreeing to pay $300 million dollars. - In December 2008, Iraqi Airways started to use 2 Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
's leased from Seagle AirSeagle AirSeagle Air is a charter airline based in Trenčín, Slovakia. It had its operations out of M. R. Štefánik Airport in Bratislava, with a second base in Prague...
. - In January 2009, Iraqi Airways received an Airbus A320-200Airbus A320 familyThe Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
leased from Jordan AviationJordan AviationJordan Aviation is an airline based in Amman, Jordan. It operates scheduled and worldwide charter services flights, mainly to the Middle East, Europe and Africa. It also provides wet lease services to major airlines seeking additional capacity. Its main bases are Marka Airport, Amman and Aqaba...
. - In February 2009, Iraqi Airways received two Boeing 737-700Boeing 737 Next GenerationThe Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
's from AirTran AirwaysAirTran AirwaysAirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
. They will be maintained by THY TechnicTurkish Airlines Maintenance CenterTurkish Airlines Maintenance Center , is the Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul center of Turkish Airlines. It is located at Atatürk International Airport , Istanbul.-THY Technic:...
the maintenance division of Turkish AirlinesTurkish AirlinesTurkish Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of Turkey, headquartered in the Turkish Airlines General Management Building on the grounds of Atatürk Airport in Yeşilköy, Bakirköy district, Istanbul...
. - In March 2009, Iraqi Airways returned the Airbus A320-200Airbus A320 familyThe Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
. It also received a purchased Boeing 737-200Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
from Teebah AirlinesTeebah AirlinesTeebah Airlines was a Sierra Leone registered charter airline based in Amman, Jordan, leasing its aircraft out to other airlines on demand. Its main base was Queen Alia International Airport.-History:...
and received a Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
from United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
. - In April 2009, Iraqi Airways returned one Boeing 737-200Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
leased from Tajik Air. - In May 2009, Iraqi Airways returned one of the Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
's leased from Seagle AirSeagle AirSeagle Air is a charter airline based in Trenčín, Slovakia. It had its operations out of M. R. Štefánik Airport in Bratislava, with a second base in Prague...
. - In June 2009, Iraqi Airways returned the last Boeing 737-300Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
leased from Seagle AirSeagle AirSeagle Air is a charter airline based in Trenčín, Slovakia. It had its operations out of M. R. Štefánik Airport in Bratislava, with a second base in Prague...
. - In July 2009, AirbusAirbusAirbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
revealed that they are going to aim to sell some of their products to Iraqi Airways, the specific types have not yet been revealed as it is only talks to get the company to purchase AirbusAirbusAirbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
aircraft to replace the all BoeingBoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
and BombardierBombardier AerospaceBombardier Aerospace is a division of Bombardier Inc. and is the third-largest airplane manufacturer in the world. It is headquartered in Dorval, Quebec, Canada.- History :...
fleet. They have also received another Boeing 737-200Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
and a Boeing 737-400Boeing 737 ClassicThe Boeing 737 Classic is the name given to the -300/-400/-500 series of the Boeing 737 following the introduction of the -600/-700/-800/-900 series. They are short- to medium- range, narrow-body jet airliners produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The Classic series was introduced as the 'new...
leased from Tor AirTor AirTor Air is a charter airline based in Gothenburg, Sweden. Its main base is Gothenburg City Airport.-History:The company was established by private investors and received a Swedish Air Operators Certificate on 1 December 2008. It commenced operations in December 2008 with a Boeing 737-400 leased...
. They have also announced that they have signed a contract for twenty aircraft to be leased from Ross Aviation, a company based in ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States of America. The aircraft types have not yet been announced. - In November 2009, Iraqi Airways had a Boeing 747-200B operated by Hellenic Imperial AirwaysHellenic Imperial AirwaysHellenic Imperial Airways is an airline with its head office in Ellinikon, South Athens, Greece. It operates charter and scheduled flights.-History:...
join the fleet. - On 23 December 2009, 3 Bombardier CRJ-900ER's arrived at Baghdad International AirportBaghdad International AirportBaghdad International Airport, originally Saddam International Airport, , BIAP is Iraq's largest airport, located in a suburb about west of downtown Baghdad in the Baghdad Governorate...
, IraqIraqIraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. This delivery raises the total delivered so far to 4 out of 10 ordered by the airline. - In February 2010, Iraqi Airways returned the Boeing 747-200B operated by Hellenic Imperial AirwaysHellenic Imperial AirwaysHellenic Imperial Airways is an airline with its head office in Ellinikon, South Athens, Greece. It operates charter and scheduled flights.-History:...
. The airline also announced major fleet plans, these plans include; 10 of the 30 orders for the Boeing 737-800Boeing 737 Next GenerationThe Boeing 737 Next Generation, commonly abbreviated as Boeing 737NG, is the name given to the -600/-700/-800/-900 series of the Boeing 737 after the introduction of the -300/-400/-500 Classic series. They are short- to medium-range, narrow-body jet airliners...
to be swapped to additional wide bodies as well as bringing the delivery date forward to September 2011, changing the 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliner orders to Boeing 777Boeing 777The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from , depending on model...
aircraft, 10 Bombardier CRJ-900ER's by mid 2010, and to lease a Boeing 757-200Boeing 757The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
for flights to LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England.
Historic
Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
and Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
because of the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and ban on air travel in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. However, some airworthy aircraft operated a few Hajj flights during the 1990s. After the 2004 re-organization, several restored Boeing 727
Boeing 727
The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
s and Boeing 737
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
s, in addition to leased Boeing 767-200
Boeing 767
The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
aircraft, operated flights for the carrier.
1970-2003 fleet
- Antonov An-24Antonov An-24The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
- Boeing 707-300
- Boeing 727-200Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
- Boeing 737-200 (1 still in service)
- Boeing 747-200C
- Boeing 747SPBoeing 747SPThe Boeing 747SP is a modified version of the Boeing 747 jet airliner which was designed for ultra-long-range flights. The SP stands for "Special Performance". Compared with its predecessor, the 747-100, the 747SP retains its wide-body, four-engine layout, along with its double-deck design, but...
- Ilyushin Il-76Ilyushin Il-76The Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
Post 2003 that have since been phased out
- Airbus A320-211Airbus A320 familyThe Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
- Boeing 757-200
- Boeing 767-200Boeing 767The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...
Five Airbus A310-300
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
were also ordered in the late 1980s but war related sanctions prevented Iraq from receiving them and they were never delivered. In July 2008, Airbus
Airbus
Airbus SAS is an aircraft manufacturing subsidiary of EADS, a European aerospace company. Based in Blagnac, France, surburb of Toulouse, and with significant activity across Europe, the company produces around half of the world's jet airliners....
sales chief John Leahy ordered the deal removed from its backlog in response to an inquiry from Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
about the long-forgotten deal at the 2008 Farnborough Airshow.
Incidents and accidents
Iraqi Airways is one of the oldest and safest airlines in the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the last fatal incident occurred on 25 December 1986. The airline has had the following incidents, accidents and hijackings with a fatality count of around 70 since they began operations in 1945 and ceased in 2010;
- On 10 October 1955, a Vickers 644 Viking 1BVickers VC.1 VikingThe Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
overran the runway at BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and crashed into a ditch where it caught fire. All nineteen passengers and crew survived, but the aircraft was written off. - On 19 March 1965, a Vickers 773 ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
crashed into a row of lamp posts at CairoCairoCairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
after a flight from BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. All passengers and crew survived, but the aircraft was written off. - On 17 April 1973, a Vickers 735 ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
performed a belly landingBelly landingA belly landing or gear-up landing occurs when an aircraft lands without its landing gear fully extended and uses its underside, or belly, as its primary landing device...
at Mousil International Airport after fuel exhaustion. All thirty three passengers and crew survived, but the aircraft was written off. - On 1 March 1975, a Boeing 737-200Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
flying from MosulMosulMosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
to BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
was hijacked by three hijackers. There was one death onboard. - On 23 September 1980, a Ilyushin 76 cargo aircraft flying from ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
crashed whilst on approach to Saddam International Airport. It is believed the aircraft was shot down by IranIranIran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian fighter jets. It as also believed all crew members died. - On 24 September 1980, an Antonov 24TV was destroyed by heavy fire whilst on the ground Kirkuk Airport. There were reports of heavy fire in the area during 24 September.
- On 22 April 1982, an Antonov 24B crashed whilst on approach to an Iraqi airfield. The left wing hit the ground causing the plane to crash. It is believed all crew members died.
- On 28 August 1982, an Antonov 24TV undercarriage collapsed on take-off from Nasiriyah Airport. All onboard survived but the aircraft was written off.
- On 16 September 1984, Iraqi Airways Flight 123, a Boeing 737-270C flying from LarnacaLarnacaLarnaca, is the third largest city on the southern coast of Cyprus after Nicosia and Limassol. It has a population of 72,000 and is the island's second largest commercial port and an important tourist resort...
to BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
was hijacked by three hijackers. The three hijackers were killed whilst the rest of the passengers and crew survived. - On 25 December 1986, Iraqi Airways Flight 163Iraqi Airways Flight 163Iraqi Airways Flight 163 was a Boeing 737-270C, registered YI-AGJ, that was hijacked in 1986. On 25 December 1986, en route from Baghdad's Baghdad International Airport to Amman, Jordan, Flight 163 was hijacked by four men...
, a Boeing 737-270C flying from BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to AmmanAmmanAmman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
experienced a hijack attempt whilst flying over Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. Four hijackers tried to enter the cockpit whilst flying at FL260. Two explosions went off resulting in a crash near ArarArarMustafa Wahbi Al-Tal, better known as Arar , was a Jordanian poet, lawyer, teacher, judge, political agitator and philosopher....
, Saudi ArabiaSaudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
killing Sixty three of the one hundred and six onboard. - During the Gulf WarGulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, two Iraqi Airways Tupolev Tu-124Tupolev Tu-124The Tupolev Tu-124 was a 56 passenger short range twinjet airliner built in the Soviet Union. It was the world's first turbofan-powered airliner.- Design and development :...
V were destroyed by U.S. bombs.