US Fines Air France and KLM $425,000 for Violating Iraqi Airspace Restrictions
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has imposed a combined $425,000 in fines on Air France and KLM for violating flight restrictions in Iraqi airspace. The penalties stem from flights operated under codeshare agreements with Delta Air Lines, with Air France fined $105,000 and KLM $320,000.
The violations reportedly involved more than 130 flights operated by Air France between April 2022 and November 2025 and by KLM between January 2022 and May 2025. Regulations issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibit certain flights from operating below 32,000 feet (FL320) within the Baghdad Flight Information Region (FIR).
Air France and KLM argued that their flights had been planned in compliance with the restrictions but that local air traffic controllers occasionally instructed pilots to descend or prevented them from climbing to the required altitude.
