Erbil airport chief: Cargo down from monthly 2500 to mere 10 tonnes after flight ban

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – As the air embargo on the Kurdistan Region is quickly reaching its three-month expiration date, the director of Erbil Airport International (EIA) stated that halting international flights following the September 25 Kurdish referendum vote for independence is causing “real economic hardships” in the Region. She asked the government of Iraq to not extend the flight ban beyond its December 31 deadline.

“The blockade of airports at Erbil and Sulaimani is an affront to the people of the region, who, it seems, are being punished for daring to express their opinion on Baghdad and its style of governance,” said Talar Faeq, General Director of EIA at an airport ceremony marking Flag Day on Monday.

As of Monday, more than 1,500 flights have been cancelled and passengers traveling through Erbil airport have plummeted.

In October, passenger numbers fell to just over 44,500 compared to over 159,000 in 2016 and in November the numbers fell to just over 47,000 compared to nearly 130,000 in 2016.

During the same period, cargo has also been affected, decreasing from a monthly average of 2,500 tonnes to just 10 tonnes.

Before the ban went into effect, Erbil’s airport served between 50 and 60 flights and between 5,000 to 5,500 passengers per day, bringing in estimated daily revenue of $350,000.

Faeq said the closure continues to inflict “real economic hardship,” putting companies and jobs at risk.

Baghdad imposed the flight ban on September 29 after ordering Kurdish authorities to hand over control of Erbil and Sulaimani airports to federal authorities.

The Kurdistan Region’s Minister of Transportation Maulood Bawa Murad refused to hand over the airports to Baghdad, describing their decision as “a huge blow to the reputation of the civil aviation of Iraq.”

Faeq explained that both Erbil and Sulaimani airports have welcomed inspections across many different aspects of airport operations, but to date, PM Abadi’s office has failed to explain the blockade or share their definition of what “handing over” means.

In a statement published on EIA’s website in October, Faeq explained that the airport has always operated under the supervision of the Iraq Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA), abiding by their regulations.

When Baghdad imposed the ban on international flights in and out of the Kurdistan Region’s two airports as part of efforts to exert federal control over the Region, Kurdish leaders described it as “collective punishment.”

In addition to the flight ban, other sanctions imposed such as closing borders with neighboring Iran and militarily taking control over the majority of disputed or Kurdistani areas, including oil-rich Kirkuk, have causes a sharp decline in Kurdish revenues.

At the time, travel agencies stated that as many as 7,000 jobs were at stake, affecting 400 companies.

“The continued closure is a real manifestation of the politics of partition that Prime Minister [Haider] al-Abadi and his cabal of advisers seem intent on pursuing,” Faeq said.

Erbil has made several concessions – including stating its respect for court rulings that deemed the referendum unconstitutional and cancelling its result – and repeatedly asserted it is ready to sit at the negotiation table and hold talks with Baghdad under the framework of the constitution, including on the issue of the two Kurdish airports.

Baghdad has so far resisted committing to talks with the KRG, despite global pressure.

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Friday said that he had asked Iraqi PM Abadi on the sidelines of the Paris Climate Summit to re-open the Region’s airports, notably Erbil.

The initial flight ban which went into effect on September 29 is due to expire on December 29.

“We would hope that if Iraq's esteemed Prime Minister has any intent to build bridges with the region that there will be no extension of the blockade,” Faeq said. "Seeking to unite a country and bring together Iraq's different components cannot be achieved by the policies of partition and punishment."

“For a Government that claims to have the well-being of all its citizens in mind, the Baghdad inspired blockade is a clear manifestation of discrimination against the people of Kurdistan, who, when I last checked, also happen to be citizens of Iraq,” she added.