Turkish Airlines and Royal Jordanian Suspend Selected Flights to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah Hubs Following Regional Drone and Missile Attacks

Erbil International Airport and Sulaymaniyah's Jalal Talabani International Airport have experienced selective flight cancellations. The route disruptions follow drone and missile attacks in Iraq's Kurdistan Region.

The Core Transit Update

Aviation tracking boards from Erbil International Airport confirm that multiple airlines canceled departures on Saturday, July 18, 2026. The route cancellations occurred after military forces intercepted eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil and reported missile strikes in Sulaymaniyah. Rather than a total airspace closure, carriers are conducting individual security assessments.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency has issued a safety bulletin warning covered operators to avoid the Baghdad Flight Information Region (FIR) at all altitudes until August 31, 2026. Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AJet, and Royal Jordanian have canceled services between Istanbul, Amman, and the Kurdistan Region. In contrast, Iraqi Airways and UR Airlines continue to operate domestic and selected international flights, while EgyptAir completed its flight from Cairo.

Kurdistan Regional Airport Flight Status

The operational status for international flights scheduled to depart or arrive in the Kurdistan Region on July 18, 2026, includes:

Airline Operator	Route Sector	Flight Operational Status	Destination / Origin Hub	Airport Code
Turkish Airlines	Istanbul – Erbil	Cancelled	Istanbul Airport (IST)	EBL
Pegasus Airlines	Sulaymaniyah – Istanbul	Cancelled	Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)	ISU
Royal Jordanian	Amman – Erbil	Cancelled	Amman Queen Alia (AMM)	EBL
Qatar Airways	Sulaymaniyah – Doha	Delayed	Doha Hamad (DOH)	ISU
Iraqi Airways	Sulaymaniyah – Istanbul	Departed / Completed	Istanbul Airport (IST)	ISU
UR Airlines	Cologne – Erbil	Arrived / Completed	Cologne Bonn (CGN)	EBL
EgyptAir	Cairo – Erbil	Arrived / Completed	Cairo International (CAI)	EBL
Air Arabia	Sharjah – Erbil	En Route / Active	Sharjah International (SHJ)	EBL

Traveler Logistics Guide (Information Gain)

For passengers traveling to or from the Kurdistan Region during this period:

Safety Warnings for Land Routes: Do not attempt to use cross-border land transport into Turkey or Jordan as a backup route. International travel advisories warn that land border crossings can close without notice, and road travel in Iraq remains high risk.
Hub-Specific Rebooking Policies: Passengers with tickets on canceled Turkish Airlines or Royal Jordanian flights should check their airline's app for rebooking options. Flights may be rerouted through hubs still operating, such as Baghdad (BGW) or Basra (BSR).
Carrier Flight Permissions: European airlines operating under EASA regulations are more likely to cancel flights to Erbil due to conflict-zone warnings. Regional and Gulf carriers (such as Qatar Airways, Flydubai, or Air Arabia) may continue scheduled operations subject to local security clearances.
Transit Status Verifications: Verify both sectors of your itinerary separately if transiting through Istanbul (IST) or Amman (AMM). A confirmed ticket on a connecting sector does not guarantee that the regional flight to Erbil will operate.

Regional Connectivity and Airport Logistics Impact

The selective cancellations isolate the Kurdistan Region from its primary transit corridors to Europe and the Middle East. With Turkish and Jordanian carriers suspending flights, passengers are re-routing through Gulf hubs, creating ticket backlogs on remaining carriers.

Airports in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah must manage grounded aircraft and coordinate security clearances under changing regional conditions. Ground handling staff are working to assist stranded passengers while airlines adjust crew rotations to match available flight paths.