Peregraf– Turkey has officially reopened its airspace to Sulaymaniyah International Airport, ending a ban that lasted more than two years. The Turkish Civil Aviation Authority (TCA) removed the Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) today, confirming the resumption of flights.
Sulaymaniyah International Airport’s Public Relations Department welcomed the move, congratulating citizens and travelers, and expressed hope that airlines will soon adjust their schedules to resume flights between Turkey, Sulaymaniyah, and European destinations.
According to an airport source, the first Turkish Airlines flight will land in Sulaymaniyah on November 3 at 5:40 p.m., with departures scheduled four times per week until December, after which flights are expected to become daily.
The decision follows a meeting earlier this month in Ankara between Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Kurdistan Region Presidency issued a statement thanking Erdogan, describing the reopening as “a step that reflects strong relations between the Kurdistan Region and the Republic of Turkey, which will serve mutual interests and benefit the people of Sulaymaniyah.”
Turkey first imposed the air embargo on April 3, 2023, citing security concerns and alleged Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) activity in Sulaymaniyah. Though initially set for three months, the ban was extended multiple times, most recently until January 6, 2026. Turkish officials had claimed PKK infiltration posed risks to aviation security, accusations firmly denied by authorities in Sulaymaniyah, who stressed that the airport operates strictly as a civilian facility.
The reopening is expected to ease the travel burden for thousands of passengers and marks a potential step toward improving ties between Ankara and authorities in Sulaymaniyah.