Having conducted a detailed examination of conditions in Iraq, and based on the security situation as it stands at present, Austrian Airlines will resume flights to Erbil from 2 April 2008 onwards. The situation in the region is still being continuously monitored in cooperation with the security authorities, enabling the company to act without delay in the event of any irregularities or changes in the situation.

Three flights a week (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) are planned for April and May and four a week (including Sunday) from June onwards. As a result, a direct service to Erbil will be reincorporated into the Austrian route network, opening up numerous new connecting flights for passengers.

Austrian Airlines was the first European airline to receive landing rights in Iraq. The route to Erbil, which was opened up on 11 December 2006, developed extremely positively. Due to the strong demand at the time, it proved possible to expand the service from two connections a week at first to four connections a week. The flights had to be temporarily removed from the schedule from 24 August 2007 onwards following a reevaluation of the security situation.

From end-September 2008 onwards, the new Premium Service, in which the Business Class sections of four Airbus A320 will be equipped with 24 Business Sleeper Seats by Recaro, will also begin operating on the route to Erbil. Features of the new service including 116 cm of legroom between seats, a pleasant angle of recline, electronically adjustable back- and footrests and an integrated massage function are guaranteed to provide relaxing travel conditions.
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