Qatar swims against tide, continues its flights to Erbil

CAIRO – 27 September 2017: Qatar Airways will continue its flights to Erbil in Kurdish northern Iraq as long as its air space remains open, although some airlines have decided to respond to the Iraqi government’s decision to suspend flights, according to the Qatari carrier's Chief Executive Wednesday.

"As far as I am concerned, I only know that we are operating and that we will continue operating as long as the airways are open and that we can transport our passengers safely," the Qatari carrier's Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker told reporters at a tourism industry event in Doha as mentioned in The New York Times.

EgyptAir officials have declared on Wednesday that Egypt national airline will suspend its flight between Cairo to Erbil starting Friday, after Iraq's civil aviation authority has requested from EgyptAir officials to halt their flights after Kurdistan held its referendum and claimed victory in an independence referendum on Monday.

EgyptAir usually flies between Cairo and Erbil three times weekly.

In addition, Lebanon's Middle East Airlines (MEA) declared on Wednesday that its flights to and from Erbil will be suspended citing an Iraqi government decision.

The Kurdish vote in which Kurds supported the independence has affected negatively its relation between Baghdad and its neighbors.