Iraq Remains Banned from European Airspace for the Eleventh Year: What Are the Steps Toward a Solution?

The Action Plan Includes IOSA Certification, a Modern Safety System, and a Consulting Firm

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)has renewed Iraq’s inclusion on the list of countries whose aircraft are not permitted to fly within EU airspace. This decision entrenches air isolation from all European Union countries, as well as the countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) —Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein—a situation that has persisted for 11 years. As a result, travel options for Iraqi passengers remain restricted for another year, and the aviation sector continues to incur further economic losses, as the ban includes both Iraqi Airways and Fly Baghdad.

At the same time, it raises questions about the practical steps that can be taken to lift the ban permanently and thus emerge from this crisis with minimal damage. In this article, we will examine the roots of the crisis and the steps that can be taken to resolve it.

Reforming the Aviation Sector: A Developmental Necessity

Reforming Iraq’s aviation sector is not a matter of indulgence, but a critical developmental and strategic imperative. It is not an easy task in an industry that is constantly evolving and changing amid intense regional competition. Over the course of more than a decade of crisis, the Iraqi government has taken serious actions and implemented practical improvements, including adding modern aircraft to the Iraqi Airways fleet, upgrading airport infrastructure, and making significant efforts to obtain the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification.

Iraqi authorities have repeatedly announced that they have achieved between 70% and 79% of the safety standards required to lift the ban.

On the other hand, EASA still considers this progress insufficient, citing fundamental gaps in operations, maintenance, technical documentation, quality control, institutional training, and governance. This means the problem concerns the entire aviation system.

How Can Iraq Exit the European Ban?

To effectively address this crisis, Iraq needs to implement a clear and practical roadmap—a step that would, in itself, represent significant progress toward lifting the ban. First, it requires restructuring the Civil Aviation Authority , as no country can lift the ban if the regulatory body is incomplete. Therefore, an independent and professional oversight body must be established, inspectors must be trained on EASA and ICAO standards, and a strict accountability and evaluation system must be implemented, with the assistance of international experts for at least one year.

Second, Iraq must work to obtain the IOSA certification (a global standard for operational safety). To obtain this certificate, airlines must undergo a comprehensive evaluation by IATA-accredited auditors of their operational management systems in areas such as safety, security, maintenance, and operations. This is a prerequisite for membership in the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a global trade association that represents, leads, and serves the aviation industry, includes most of the world’s airlines, and sets technical standards and operational procedures to ensure the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of global air transport. (According to the list of members on the IATA official website, neither Iraqi Airways nor most private Iraqi airlines are members of IATA, with the exception of Fly Baghdad).

If a unified implementation plan is adopted, instead of years of fragmented efforts, Iraq could potentially complete the IOSA certification process within 12 months. This would require a comprehensive audit of all Operations Manuals (OMs), updating crews, and enforcing strict tracking and maintenance systems.

Third, officials in Baghdad must work on developing maintenance and building a modern Safety Management System (SMS), which is the core of European accreditation. This requires linking operational data to an advanced electronic system, evaluating every aviation incident—even minor ones—and training crews on a “Just Culture” of reporting without fear, as well as contracting specialised companies to support maintenance units (MRO).

Updating Operations According to European Safety Standards

Among the steps Iraq can take to achieve the desired goal is updating operational manuals, as many of EASA’s observations relate to documentation, including operations manuals, takeoff and landing procedures, maintenance records, and pilot training programs.

To enable procedural improvements and measurement against required standards, all relevant documentation must be rewritten to conform to EASA Part-TCO standards, replacing outdated or unclear requirements. This aims to ensure that foreign airlines operate at the same high safety level as European airlines. This includes assessing risks related to the operator and its country, and preventing unsafe airlines from entering European airspace through the EU Safety List.

EASA Part-TCO standards are a comprehensive framework to ensure the safety of foreign air operations in Europe, focusing on auditing systems, procedures, and operational history to ensure the safety of passengers and European airspace.

These standards include a set of rules established by EASA for airlines from non-EU countries operating commercial air transport to, from, or within the EU. The rules require a robust Safety Management System (SMS), flight data analysis, compliance with air traffic surveillance technologies (such as ADS-B), and ongoing adherence to European standards to maintain the TCO operating authorisation, which focuses on safety and operational performance history.

The main requirements of EASA Part-TCO standards include:

• TCO operating authorisation: Airlines must obtain a TCO authorisation from EASA to operate in Europe.
• Safety Management System (SMS): An effective SMS is mandatory.
• Flight Data Analysis Program (FDAP): Operators must have a program for analysing flight data.
• Technical compliance: Adherence to air traffic surveillance standards such as Mode S and ADS-B Out.
• Historical performance: Evaluation of the operator’s and the country’s safety record.
• Continuous compliance: Maintaining compliance with Part-TCO standards to ensure the validity of the authorisation.

In addition to these steps, Iraq can rely on an international consulting firm to lead the project of exiting the European ban, especially since several countries, such as Moldova, used international consultants to help their aviation sectors recover from crisis. The role of these consulting firms is to review all files, develop an actionable plan, and provide regular reports to the European Union.

Moldova’s efforts to lift the ban were based on direct and continuous cooperation with EASA and Joint Aviation Authorities Training Organisation ( JAA TO is an international organisation that provides training and consultancy services in the field of aviation safety and regulation), supported by technical assistance projects funded by the European Union and implemented by consulting firms such as NTU International. This was done to ensure that the country’s regulatory oversight aligned with European and international standards. These efforts resulted in the ban on Moldovan carriers being permanently lifted during the 2021/2022 period, following an intensive corrective action phase that lasted several years.

Building European Partnerships

Furthermore, Iraq can build partnerships with European airlines to increase Europe’s confidence in the Iraqi aviation sector by signing Codeshare or Fleet Development agreements with European companies. This step will open the door to joint training, shared maintenance, quality control, and knowledge transfer.

Officials must also set a deadline and measure progress at each stage. In addition to public statements, a national plan to lift the ban should be announced, accompanied by clear timelines for each phase and the regular publication of evaluation results. It is worth noting that Iraq can regain its role as a logistical air transport leader in the Middle East. Historically, Iraq held this status, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, when Iraqi Airways was among the region’s oldest and most prominent airlines, operating an extensive network of routes connecting Baghdad to major cities in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The airline was known for its modern fleet and high operational standards, making Iraq a key hub for air transport and logistics in the Middle East at that time.