Iraqi Airways presses for chance to lift 'unfair' blacklisting

Iraqi Airways is dismayed at the continuing European blacklisting of its operation, but is hoping that restrictions will start being lifted before the end of this year. The EC blacklisted the carrier in 2015, and it remains 1 of only 5 airlines individually barred from European airspace. Iraqi Airways is expressing "surprise" that the ban has been maintained during the latest blacklist revision, disclosed June 14, and claims the situation is "unfair". DG Miran Farid says the European authorities have been opting against sending inspectors to review the carrier's operations, citing security concerns in Iraq. Farid says the carrier has been using third-party carriers for more than 2 years to support its operations. Negotiations are taking place, he states, to establish a process by which inspections can be carried out. <br/>