International Airlines Suspend Flights to Kurdistan Region Amid Security Concerns

Erbil and Sulaymaniyah airports in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq experienced a wave of flight cancellations by international airlines, even as Iraqi airspace and air navigation remained open. Airport data indicated the cancellation of 14 flights bound for Erbil International Airport, plus two scheduled flights to Sulaymaniyah Airport, all within the last 24 hours. Conversely, Fly Erbil affirmed the continuation of its scheduled operations without disruption. Lewand Maimandi, the company's CEO, stated that flights continue to take off and land on time, noting that the airline's aircraft reach Erbil Airport as scheduled, with all planned flights for today being executed. Canceled flights to Erbil included those from cities like Istanbul, Amman, Dubai, Antalya, and Doha. For Sulaymaniyah Airport, two flights from Doha and Istanbul were canceled, operated by Qatar Airways and the Turkish carrier Pegasus. However, Erbil Airport welcomed several flights from London, Cologne, and Cairo, with further arrivals anticipated from Stuttgart, Dusseldorf, and Baghdad as scheduled. Sulaymaniyah Airport also received two flights from Doha and Baghdad. These developments come after the Kurdistan Region Counter-Terrorism Force announced the downing of five explosive drones in Erbil province, confirming no human casualties. In a related context, Qatar Airways declared a suspension of its flights to Erbil, Kuwait, and Bahrain until the end of July, citing ongoing regional security developments. Despite these cancellations, Ahmed Hoshyar, Director of Erbil International Airport, confirmed that air traffic at the airport remains normal and has not halted.