Turkish, Qatari and Lebanese carriers still avoiding Basra despite airspace reopening

BASRA — Most airlines have resumed normal operations at Basra International Airport following Iraq’s airspace reopening, but Turkish, Qatari and Lebanese carriers have yet to restore direct flights to the city.

Iraqi Airways, Arab airlines, Flydubai and Royal Jordanian are all operating normally, alongside cargo and private aviation services, the source said. “These airlines are still suspending direct flights to the governorate despite the gradual return of movement over Iraqi airspace,” a source said of the absent carriers.

Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority reopened the country’s airspace and all airports on April 8 following a 38-day closure that began on Feb. 28 after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran triggered regional military escalation. The shutdown halted commercial air traffic, stranded thousands of Iraqis abroad and disrupted tourism and transportation sectors.

During the closure, Basra International Airport briefly served as Iraq’s only active international gateway, handling limited daytime evacuation flights with passengers continuing to other governorates by road. Flydubai was among the first airlines to resume flights after the reopening.