US Fines Emirates $1.8 Million for Breaching Iraqi Airspace Restrictions

According to the Transportation Department on Thursday, Emirates Airline was fined $1.8 million by US authorities for using airspace over Iraq for flights that was forbidden to US airlines.

It was discovered that the biggest long-haul airline in the world had flown aircraft through parts of Iraq that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had prohibited US operators from using while flying under the designation code of US carrier JetBlue Airways Corp. The violations took place between December 2021 and August 2022; in October 2020, a comparable fine was imposed.

Emirates claimed in the consent order that its pilots entered the prohibited area as a result of air traffic controllers’ instructions. The airline stated that their actions were in compliance with international aviation laws, which prioritize the safety of passengers and crew, and stressed that failing to comply would have posed substantial safety hazards.

The Transportation Department stated that Emirates “engaged in passenger operations to and from the United States without proper DOT authority and violated the conditions of its authority to operate by carrying the JetBlue Airways code on flights between the United Arab Emirates and the United States in airspace prohibited by the FAA to US operators.”

Emirates justified their actions by stating that they were legally required to comply with air traffic controllers’ orders to fly below 32,000 feet. Emirates is required by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to pay $1.5 million within 60 days. Should similar violations occur within the following year, an additional $300,000 penalty will be imposed.