Finnair operates all its flights normally despite the war in Iraq. The situation is monitored carefully at the airline as it develops. Flight safety will be the most important factor in any decision making. The International Air Transport Association IATA, the International Civil Aviation Organisation ICAO and oneworld airlines are monitoring the situation constantly in close co-operation and have planned alternate flight routes for their operations should the war affect flight safety.
At the moment, Finnair flight routes pass the war zone from a sufficient distance meaning that flights can be operated normally.
“The war in Iraq does not affect Finnair’s scheduled traffic, as flights in Europe and to Asia do not pass by Iraqi airspace. Only possible disturbances in Afghanistan’s airspace might cause slight route alterations to our Asian flights. We have already anticipated this by obtaining the necessary flight permits,” explains SVP Hannes Bjurström from the Flight Operations Division.
Finnair flights that pass closest to Iraq are leisure flights, which make a stopover in Dubai in the Arab Emirates. Finnair’s flight route to Dubai passes through Georgia and Azerbaijan into Iranian airspace. Dubai is located 1400km from Baghdad, and the airway used by Finnair is situated some 800km from Baghdad.
ICAO, other European airlines and Finnair have assessed Iranian airspace and the Dubai airport safe even with the start of war.
Stopovers in Dubai will be made until March 30 by Finnair leisure flights to Phuket andÊUtapao in Thailand and Goa in India.

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