{"id":15366,"date":"2021-09-30T08:50:19","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T12:50:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=15366"},"modified":"2022-10-02T14:48:21","modified_gmt":"2022-10-02T18:48:21","slug":"oct-2021-iraq-airport-closures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/oct-2021-iraq-airport-closures\/","title":{"rendered":"Oct 2021: Iraq Airport Closures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Please note the date on this story – Oct 2021. We’re keeping the info here for reference purposes only.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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Iraq is closing for a few days while their elections take place.<\/p>\n

Here is a quick look at what this will mean for traffic who are planning to operate over or into Iraq over the closure dates.<\/p>\n

Why and what are they closing?<\/h4>\n

They are closing all airports and border crossings for security reasons.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

The election will take place Oct 10th. The closures will run from 2300LT on Saturday Oct 9th to the morning of Oct 11th. <\/strong>You will not be able to operate in or out of Iraq during this time.<\/p>\n

\"\"Any further information on this has not yet been provided, but when elections took place in 2018, there were a number of strikes which reduced public services to nearly zero, as well as violent protests and riots across the country. This resulted in a 24 hour closure in May 2018.<\/p>\n

In September 2018, several Katyusha rockets were fired directly at Basra airport during further protests against the government and elections.<\/p>\n

It is volatile at the best of times.<\/h4>\n

ORBI\/Baghdad airport<\/strong> is situated around 100nm southeast of a major airbase<\/strong> which is often targeted by rockets and weaponised drones.<\/strong> Baghdad itself is a target for rebel groups,\u00a0<\/span>and while attacks are generally low level, they do pose a risk to civil aviation<\/a> and also heighten the risk of misidentification<\/strong> by air defense systems.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Rockets fired at Basra airport<\/p><\/div>\n

But can you still overfly?<\/h4>\n

The Notam published by ORBI\/Baghdad Airport suggests you can:<\/p>\n

A0239\/21<\/strong> - AD CLSD DUE TO IRAQ ELECTION DAY. WITH EXEMPTION TO EMERGENCY\r\nSITUATIONS DECLARED BY FLIGHTS OVERLYING IRAQ. 09 OCT 18:00 2021 UNTIL 11 OCT\r\n03:00 2021. CREATED: 30 SEP 19:11 2021<\/pre>\n
ATC through Baghdad is provided by a large, international air traffic services provider, Serco, and you often hear US accents on frequency. Kuwait also provide some control of the southern sector when they hand over. So ATC control is not thought to be impacted.<\/p>\n
The days leading up to and following the elections may well see some increased traffic across Iraq <\/strong>as dignitaries, government officials etc fly in, out and about.<\/p>\n
Iraq and the ORBB\/Baghdad FIR are a main connection between the Middle East and Far East to Europe. There are really only 4 options –\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n