Iraqi, Kurdish officials deny Turkish Airlines flight suspension reports

ERBIL — Iraqi and Kurdish aviation authorities on Monday denied rumors that Turkish Airlines had suspended flights to Iraq and several neighboring countries, saying operations are continuing normally and the country’s airspace remains open.

The denials came after social media users and some media outlets circulated claims that Turkish Airlines had halted flights to Iraq, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan until July 31. The rumors prompted confusion over travel between Iraq and Turkey.

The reports referenced a notice on Turkish Airlines’ official website titled “Flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon and additional passenger rights.” While the announcement offered flexible options for ticket holders — including rescheduling, refunds, or extending ticket validity until August 31 — the only flight explicitly canceled was to Isfahan, Iran, effective July 16. The airline confirmed that flights to Tehran, Shiraz, Tabriz, and Mashhad had resumed full operations.

“The relevant applications are valid only for flights operated by Turkish Airlines,” the statement said, offering no indication of broader cancellations.

In response to the speculation, Iraq’s Ministry of Transport issued a statement rejecting the claims.

“The Ministry of Transport denies the closure of Iraqi airspace to air traffic,” said spokesperson Maytham Al-Safi. “There is no truth to the suspension of flights between Iraq and Turkey or vice versa. There is a flow of flights through Iraqi airspace.”

Ahmad Hoshyar, director of Erbil International Airport, also confirmed operations were continuing as normal. “No flights have been canceled — not last night, not this morning,” he told 964media. “Flights with Turkey are ongoing.”

As of Monday, there has been no official indication of suspended Turkish Airlines flights to Iraqi airports, and operations at Erbil and Baghdad continue without disruption.