Chaos at Baghdad International Airport as delays leave passengers stranded

BAGHDAD – Flights at Baghdad International Airport are facing significant delays, leaving passengers stranded in the terminal amid widespread confusion. The airport’s director, Harith Al-Ubaidi, attributed the disruption to three main factors.

Videos circulating on social media showed large crowds gathering inside the terminal, with airport staff attempting to calm frustrated passengers. Al-Ubaidi explained to 964media that the delays were due to “an unexpectedly high number of additional return pilgrimage flights, a technical malfunction in an Iraqi Airways aircraft, and a shortage of crew members for another flight.”

He described the situation as “inevitable and beyond anyone’s control,” while stressing that airport management had worked tirelessly to get flights back on schedule. “The airport management has made great efforts to restore flights to their normal schedule,” he noted, adding that some departures had already resumed.

Since Friday, passengers, including the Iraqi youth national team, have been caught in the chaos, facing lengthy wait times as airport staff worked to address the problems. While efforts continue to resolve the situation, several flights remain delayed. Authorities are advising travelers to check with their airlines for the most current flight information.

The current situation at Baghdad International Airport comes in the wake of the massive influx of pilgrims during the Arbaeen pilgrimage. The Iraqi Commision of Border Ports announced on August 25 that over 3.3 million pilgrims entered Iraq from August 6 to August 23, 2024, through ten border crossings, including Baghdad Airport. According to BPC spokesperson Aladdin Al-Qaisi, 2,221,070 pilgrims departed through these crossings. This unprecedented movement of people has likely contributed to the operational challenges currently being faced at Baghdad International Airport.

The Shiite Muslim Arbaeen pilgrimage marks the end of a 40-day mourning period for Imam Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed, who was killed in the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. Millions of religious tourists, including those from Lebanon, Turkey, Kuwait, and especially Iran, participate in the symbolic 80-kilometer walk from Najaf to Karbala, both of which are considered holy cities in Shiite Islam.