Baghdad – WAA
The General Company for Airports and Air Navigation Management, affiliated with the Ministry of Transport, revealed today, Sunday, that the average number of flights during the Arbaeen pilgrimage over twenty days exceeded 220, while confirming that opening Baghdad Airport to citizens contributed to reducing the congestion.
The company’s general manager, Abbas Al-Baydani, told the (INA): “The Minister of Transport, Razzaq Muhaibis, directed full mobilization to receive visitors of Imam Hussein (peace be upon him) arriving by air through Iraqi airports.”
He added, “The General Company for Airports Management has prepared an integrated plan for operating the airports, starting with the ground equipment used in the airfield of Baghdad International Airport, Najaf International Airport, and Basra, and rehabilitating and maintaining the arrival and departure halls.”
He pointed out that “Najaf International Airport witnessed a great deal of traffic during the visit, so ground equipment was used from Baghdad, Basra, Sulaymaniyah and Erbil airports to support it,” explaining that “opening Baghdad International Airport to citizens before the Arbaeen visit reduced the traffic of visitors at the airport, considering that many citizens contributed to transporting visitors from the airport.”
He pointed out that “Baghdad International Airport during the peak days of the visit recorded 74 landing flights per day, while Najaf International Airport recorded 103 landing flights per day, and Basra Airport recorded 45 landing flights per day, and over the course of 20 days for the three airports, that is 222 flights per day on average,” explaining that “Najaf International Airport witnessed 137 landing flights two days before the visit.”