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Iraqi Aviation Industry Takes Off

More than 10 years after the US invasion of Iraq, the country’s aviation industry is starting to show strong signs of recovery, reports Omar al-Shaher.
Iraqi pilots stand near a Boeing 777 jet at Baghdad's international Airport December 15, 2012. Three Boeing twin-aisle 777-200LR jets arrived in Baghdad in a move aimed to boost the transportation sector in a country suffering decades of wars and sanctions. REUTERS/Mohammed Ameen (IRAQ - Tags: POLITICS TRANSPORT BUSINESS) - RTR3BLS6
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In light of Iraq’s complicated political and security climate, even the most optimistic could not expect Baghdad International Airport to have 125 flights — even including both arrivals and departures — in a single day.

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority ranks Baghdad International Airport as the largest airport in Iraq. It registered 125 flights on March 20, probably the highest number of daily flights in the history of this airport, which suffers from major problems in terms of infrastructure, equipment and services.

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