Peregraf — Pilots and employees of Iraqi Airways stormed the company's headquarters inside Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) on Sunday, protesting what they described as corruption and administrative failure, as Prime Minister (PM) Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani ordered a high-level audit of the national carrier.
The demonstrators, including pilots, managers, and staff, said their action aimed to confront the airline's senior leadership and demand accountability over financial and administrative practices they claimed had damaged the company's operations and reputation.
In response, al-Sudani directed the formation of an audit committee headed by the Commission of Integrity (COI), with participation from the Federal Board of Supreme Audit (FBSA) and the Follow-up Department at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
According to a statement from the PM's media office, the committee will carry out a comprehensive review of Iraqi Airways' administrative and service performance, implementation procedures, and efforts to improve the operations of the national carrier.
The review will also examine measures related to correcting the company's course and raising service standards, as part of a broader government effort to reform public services.
The statement said the decision came in response to complaints and grievances raised by a number of Iraqi Airways employees regarding their rights, service quality, and concerns over the future and international reputation of the airline.
The developments come shortly after Iraq reopened its airspace in early April following a roughly 40-day closure caused by the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.
Baghdad shut down its airspace on February 28 as regional tensions escalated, forcing travelers to rely on land routes and disrupting one of the country's key international transit sectors.
Founded in 1945, Iraqi Airways is one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East.