US Fines Air France, KLM $425,000 Over Flights in Restricted Iraqi Airspace

The United States Department of Transportation has fined Air France and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines a combined $425,000 for operating flights through restricted Iraqi airspace while using the flight codes of US carrier Delta Air Lines.

The penalties, announced on Friday, October 23, followed investigations that found the European airlines had operated more than 130 flights below the minimum altitude permitted under US aviation safety restrictions in the Baghdad Flight Information Region between 2022 and 2025.

According to the department, Air France operated more than 30 flights carrying Delta’s airline code through the restricted airspace between April 2022 and November 2025. KLM operated more than 100 similar flights between January 2022 and May 2025.

Air France was fined $105,000, while KLM received a $320,000 penalty. Both airlines were also ordered to stop similar violations in the future.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits US airlines and certain other operators from flying below 32,000 feet in the Baghdad Flight Information Region because of security risks linked to regional conflict, militant activity and military operations.

The restriction also applies to foreign airlines operating flights under the codes of US carriers. Such arrangements, known as codesharing, allow airlines to market seats on flights operated by another airline under their own flight numbers.

The US Transportation Department said airlines using American carriers’ codes must comply with applicable FAA restrictions, even when the aircraft is operated by a foreign airline.

However, Air France and KLM disputed the findings’ implications, arguing that their crews had been instructed by Iraqi air traffic controllers to descend or had been denied permission to climb because of conflicting air traffic.

Both airlines said they had intended to operate above the restricted altitude and believed their flights qualified for an exemption covering emergency situations. They also emphasised their commitment to complying with aviation safety regulations.

The department’s orders require the airlines to pay $265,000 of the combined penalties within 60 days. The remaining $160,000 is suspended, subject to conditions involving further violations within one year.

The FAA’s restriction on flights below 32,000 feet in the Baghdad region has been extended until October 26, 2027. It is intended to reduce the risks faced by civil aircraft operating in an area affected by regional security threats.

The penalties highlight the regulatory responsibilities associated with codeshare agreements and the importance of complying with restrictions designed to protect passengers and flight crews. They also underscore how safety rules imposed by one country’s aviation authorities can affect international airlines when their flights carry the codes of that country’s carriers.

Delta Air Lines did not immediately comment on the penalties, according to Reuters.

The case comes as airlines continue to navigate security risks and operational constraints in parts of the Middle East, where military activity and regional tensions have complicated flight planning and airspace management.