Greece-based Aegean Airlines has launched direct flights between Athens and Baghdad, becoming the first European airline to resume scheduled services to Iraq’s capital after a 35-year hiatus.
Planned with two weekly frequencies, the new route is seen as a significant development for Baghdad, which European carriers had avoided for many years due to prolonged conflict, political instability, and international isolation. The start of these flights stands out as a symbolic step in the normalization and reintegration of Iraq’s civil aviation sector.
Iraq’s Ministry of Transport stated that Aegean Airlines’ landing in Baghdad is a concrete sign of the country’s reintegration into the European aviation network, emphasizing that infrastructure investments and operational improvements made in recent years have enabled this progress.
Industry assessments note that Aegean’s move indicates a gradual return of confidence in the Baghdad market and could serve as an example for other European airlines in the period ahead.
