Etihad Airways said Sunday it plans to launch regular flights to Baghdad next week, making the Gulf airline the latest carrier to begin flying passengers to the Iraqi capital. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier plans to start service from its base in the United Arab Emirates capital beginning April 26, provided it can secure government and regulatory approval. Initial plans call for five return flights a week to Baghdad using Airbus A320s. Additional flights to the northern city of Irbil are slated to start in June, according to a report of the Associated Press. Bahrain's Gulf Air last year started flying to a handful of cities, including Baghdad and the city of Najaf. Royal Jordanian Airlines and Beirut-based Middle East Airways are among the carriers that also fly to the Iraqi capital. German airline Lufthansa said in January it plans to resume flights to Iraq this summer.
