Germania (Berlin Schönefeld) has become the latest international carrier to suspend services to Erbil in northern Iraq. The capital of Kurdistan, Erbil has come under increasing threat from Islamic State terrorists with a number of attacks launched on the airfield's vicinity in recent weeks.
"Due to the current tense security situation in northern Iraq, the Federal Ministry for Transport in Germany (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur - BMVI) has prohibited all flights by German airlines to the northern Iraqi city of Erbil from March 16 until and including Monday, March 30, 2015," Germania said in a press release.
Among the routes affected include those routed to Erbil from Munich, Düsseldorf, and Stockholm Arlanda.
Earlier this month, Lufthansa (LH, Frankfurt International) and Austrian Airlines (OS, Vienna) joined Emirates (EK, Dubai International), Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi International), and flydubai (FZ, Dubai International) in suspending their respective flights to Erbil.
Commenting on airlines' suspension of flights, Kurdistan's Deputy Prime Minister Talabani stressed that “the airspace of the Kurdistan Region is safe and the airports are far from any security risk.”
Germania continues to serve Sulaymaniyah from Dusseldor, Munich and Stockholm Arlanda.
