Iraqi Airways: Iraq's Flag Carrier Reborn

Iraqi Airways, the national airline of Iraq and the second-oldest carrier in the Middle East, traces its roots to June 1945 when it was established in Baghdad as part of the Iraqi State Railways. Operations began on January 28, 1946, with De Havilland Dragon Rapides flying to Syria. With British support, it expanded rapidly, introducing DC-3s, Vickers Vikings, and Viscounts, reaching London by 1955. The 1960s and 1970s brought Soviet and Western jets like Tu-124s, Tridents, Boeing 707s, and 747s, enabling subsidized low-fare routes across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Devastated by the 1991 Gulf War, sanctions, and no-fly zones, it limped through the 1990s with pilgrim flights. Post-2003 Iraq War, a new entity relaunched in 2004, resuming domestic services in 2005 and international routes to regional hubs. Today, headquartered at Baghdad International Airport (BGW), it operates from bases in Basra (BSR) and Erbil (EBL), serving ~50 destinations including Europe (London, Sweden, Germany), the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa.

As a full-service carrier, it offers Business and Economy classes with complimentary meals, snacks, and baggage. Distinctive features include alcohol-free flights, the SkyMiles loyalty program, and a fresh green livery since 2012. Amid fleet modernization, it has received Boeing 737s, 787s, and Airbus A220s, with orders for more MAX and Dreamliners, signaling ambitious growth despite past challenges.