Iraqi Airways facts for kids
Iraqi Airways Airbus A320-214 at Frankfurt Airport
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| Founded | June 1945 Baghdad, Iraq |
|---|---|
| Commenced operations | 28 January 1946 |
| AOC # | 19 |
| Operating bases |
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| Hubs | Baghdad International Airport |
| Focus cities |
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| Frequent-flyer program | SkyMiles |
| Fleet size | 40 |
| Destinations | 50 |
| Parent company | Iraqi Government |
| Headquarters | Baghdad, Iraq |
| Key people | Ihab Albayati |
Iraqi Airways is the main airline of Iraq. It is one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East. The airline's main hub is Baghdad International Airport. Iraqi Airways flies to many cities both inside Iraq and around the world.
Contents
The Story of Iraqi Airways
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How the Airline Started
Iraqi Airways began in 1945. It was first part of the Iraqi railway company. Flights started on January 28, 1946. The first planes were small De Havilland Dragon Rapides.
Soon, the airline got bigger planes. These included Vickers VC.1 Viking and Douglas DC-3 aircraft. In the 1950s, they added Vickers Viscount planes. These planes helped them fly to more places, like London. In 1960, Iraqi Airways became its own company.
Growing with New Planes
In the 1960s, Iraqi Airways bought Russian Tupolev Tu-124 and Hawker Siddeley Trident jets. These new planes helped the airline fly to more cities in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. They also bought cargo planes like the Ilyushin Il-76.
Later, in the 1970s, the airline needed even bigger planes. They bought Boeing 707 and Boeing 747 jets. This allowed them to start flights to New York City.
Challenges and Restarting Flights
After the Gulf War in 1991, it was hard for Iraqi Airways to fly. Many flights were stopped. For a while, only helicopters could fly within Iraq. Later, some domestic flights restarted, but they were often stopped again. During the 1990s, the airline mostly flew people on religious trips.
After the Iraq War in 2003, Iraqi Airways planned to fly internationally again. A new company was created to protect the airline's name. Flights restarted on October 3, 2004, with a flight to Amman, Jordan. Domestic flights within Iraq also began again in 2005.
Modern Times and New Planes
Iraqi Airways has worked to expand its flights. In 2009, they planned to restart flights to London Gatwick Airport. They also started flying to cities in Germany and Sweden.
There was a disagreement with Kuwait about planes from the 1990s. This caused some issues with flights to Europe, but the problem was later settled.
In 2012, Iraqi Airways ordered many new planes from Boeing. These included Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. They also received new Airbus A330 and Boeing 777 planes. The airline continues to add modern aircraft to its fleet.
Iraqi Airways does not serve alcoholic drinks on its flights.
Plane Designs
Over the years, Iraqi Airways has changed the paint designs on its planes. In 2008, some planes had a blue and white design. By 2012, the airline adopted a new green design for all its aircraft.
Where Iraqi Airways Flies
Iraqi Airways flies to many cities around the world.
- In March 2009, flights to Sweden restarted after many years.
- In September 2009, the airline resumed flights to Bahrain and Doha, Qatar.
- In October 2009, Iraqi Airways restarted flights to Karachi, Pakistan. They also started seasonal flights for religious trips to Jeddah.
- In 2019, flights to Syria between Damascus and Baghdad resumed.
The Iraqi Airways Fleet
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As of August 2023, Iraqi Airways has 40 planes. They also have 18 more planes on order.
Current Planes
| Aircraft | In service | Orders | Passengers | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Y | Total | ||||
| Airbus A220-300 | 5 | — | 12 | 130 | 142 | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 3 | — | — | 180 | 180 | |
| Airbus A321-200 | 2 | — | — | 220 | 220 | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 1 | — | 24 | 264 | 288 | YI-AQY |
| Boeing 737-800 | 14 | — | 12 | 150 | 162 | One leased from Tailwind Airlines |
| Boeing 737 MAX 8 | 6 | — | 12 | 150 | 162 | |
| Boeing 737 MAX 10 | — | 10 | TBA | Deliveries from 2024. | ||
| Boeing 777-200LR | 1 | — | 14 | 350 | 364 | YI-AQZ |
| Boeing 787-8 | 2 | 7 | 24 | 242 | 266 | Deliveries commenced in 2023 |
| Boeing 787-9 | — | 1 | TBA | |||
| Bombardier CRJ-900LR | 6 | — | — | 90 | 90 | |
| Total | 40 | 18 | ||||
Past Planes
Iraqi Airways has used many different types of planes over the years. Some of these include:
- Airbus A300
- Antonov An-12
- Antonov An-24
- Boeing 707
- Boeing 720
- Boeing 727
- Boeing 737 (older models)
- Boeing 747 (older models)
- Boeing 757
- Boeing 767
- de Havilland Dove
- de Havilland Dragon Rapide
- Fokker 70
- Hawker Siddeley Trident
- Ilyushin Il-76
- Lockheed JetStar
- McDonnell Douglas DC-10
- Tupolev Tu-124
- Tupolev Tu-134
- Vickers VC.1 Viking
- Vickers Viscount
Safety and Incidents
Iraqi Airways has worked to improve its safety. Here are some past incidents:
- On February 4, 1955, a de Havilland Dove crashed after an engine caught fire.
- On October 10, 1955, a Vickers VC.1 Viking went off the runway and caught fire. Everyone survived.
- On March 19, 1965, a Vickers Viscount crashed into lamp posts in Cairo. Everyone survived.
- On April 17, 1973, a Vickers Viscount landed without its landing gear after running out of fuel. Everyone survived.
- On March 1, 1975, a Boeing 737 was hijacked. One hijacker died.
- On September 23, 1980, an Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane crashed near Baghdad.
- On September 16, 1984, Iraqi Airways Flight 123, a Boeing 737, was hijacked. Everyone survived.
- On December 25, 1986, Iraqi Airways Flight 163, a Boeing 737, had a hijack attempt. Two explosions happened, and the plane crashed. 63 people died.
- On July 3, 2019, an Iraqi Airways Airbus A320-200 had a cracked windshield while landing in Sofia. The plane landed safely.
- On August 27, 2023, an Iraqi Airways Boeing 737-800 was hit by a bird on its nose while landing. The plane landed safely.
- On September 11, 2023, a ground vehicle hit a new Iraqi Airways Boeing 737 Max 8 at Baghdad Airport. The plane was repaired and returned to service.
See also
In Spanish: Iraqi Airways para niños
