Mideast's biggest airline Emirates to resume Baghdad flights

DUBAI - The Middle East's biggest airline, Emirates, said on yesterday that it plans to resume flights to Baghdad after halting them last month when an incoming passenger plane came under fire.

The carrier said it expects to restart passenger flights to the Iraqi capital six times a week on March 1.

Emirates and several other regional airlines stopped flights to Baghdad after a flight operated by discount carrier FlyDubai was struck by gunfire as it came in to land. One person onboard was wounded in the shooting, which Iraqi authorities said they believed was unintentional.

Emirates said its decision to resume flights "follows a comprehensive safety and security review" done in conjunction with civil aviation officials. It has continued to fly to the Iraqi cities of Irbil and Basra.

FlyDubai said it resumed Baghdad flights on Sunday, following a Feb. 12 decision by Emirati aviation authorities to lift a ban on Baghdad flights. The country's national airline, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, has not announced a resumption of service.

Bahraini carrier Gulf Air announced on Feb. 5 that it would resume flights to Baghdad after suspending them over the shooting.