Air Arabia to resume flights as Iran and Iraq reopen airspace
Flights to Georgia, Armenia and more will restart from July 1
DUBAI: Air Arabia will resume flights from Sharjah to several destinations in Iran, Iraq, Georgia, Armenia, and other key cities, effective Tuesday, July 1.
The move comes in the wake of reopened airspace across Iran and Iraq, following a fragile ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel after 12 days of heightened regional conflict.
Iran officially reopened its airspace on Monday night, although restrictions remain in place. Only international flights with prior approval from Iran’s Civil Aviation Authority are currently allowed. Meanwhile, both Israel and Iraq lifted airspace restrictions on June 24, paving the way for flight operations to return to normal.
Destinations in focus
Air Arabia’s resumed operations include major cities in Iran such as Mashhad, Shiraz, Lar, and Najaf. In Iraq, routes to Baghdad, Erbil, and Basra are once again available. The budget airline is also reviving services to destinations across the Caucasus and CIS regions, including Yerevan (Armenia), Tbilisi (Georgia), Baku (Azerbaijan), and Russian cities like Samara, Ufa, and Kazan.
The announcement was circulated to travel trade partners, advising passengers to secure their bookings early and arrange for seats, meals, baggage, and insurance in advance.
Summer travel
With skies reopening and regional tensions easing, residents across the UAE are rushing to revive summer travel plans that had been stalled by conflict. Travel agencies report a surge in bookings and inquiries, a stark contrast to the uncertainty of the previous fortnight, when flight cancellations and diversions were widespread due to closed air corridors.
While airspace access is gradually being restored, airlines are expected to remain cautious, implementing new routes and safety protocols as the situation develops.