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Iranian Airlines Set to Resume Najaf Flights

All Iranian airlines had either suspended or reduced their flights to the Iraqi city of Najaf.
All Iranian airlines had either suspended or reduced their flights to the Iraqi city of Najaf.

All Iranian airlines that had cancelled their Najaf route have been given the green light to resume flights by the Civil Aviation Organization of Iran.

Speaking to reporters in Yazd on Monday, the head of CAO, Ali Abedzadeh, said discussions over the past two weeks with Najaf airport officials had helped resolve the differences.

"All airlines may now resume their flights," he was quoted as saying by IRIB News.

All 10 Iranian airlines that operated flights to the Iraqi city of Najaf had either suspended or reduced their flights to the holy city as of July 1, in protest to regulatory changes imposed on flights landing at the privately-owned Al Najaf International Airport.

The airport authorities had implemented a retrospective customs duty for airlines going back to 2010. In other words, all airlines were told to pay $85 for every one of their flights that had landed at the city's airport as of 2010.

That only compounded the problems Iranian airlines had with the airport officials. The airport charges Iranian airlines $15 for every seat while passengers have to pay $10 upon arrival.

Overall, Iranian aviation companies pay between $14,000 and $18,000 per flight at the Najaf airport, whereas every flight to Iran by Iraq-registered airlines costs the companies $3,000 to $3,500 per flight for aircraft ground handling.

The holy shrines of Imam Ali (PBUH) in Najaf and his son, Imam Hussein (PBUH) in Karbala, are visited by scores of Iranian pilgrims throughout the year.

Iranian officials argued that the regulatory changes would only increase the costs of pilgrimage for people.

 

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