This is how serious the US is over flying over Iraq Emirates fined $1.5 million
On Thursday, June 13, 2024, the U.S. Transportation Department fined Emirates $1.5 million for operating flights carrying JetBlue Airways' (JBLU.O) designator code in prohibited airspace. (Iraq is prohibited airspace)
Emirates operated a substantial number of flights between the United Arab Emirates and the United States between December 2021 and August 2022, carrying the JetBlue Airways code, which the Federal Aviation Administration prohibits U.S. operators from operating in airspace under FAA prohibitions in October 2020. This conduct also violated a consent order issued in October 2020, fining Emirates. (Emirates made the same mistake in 2020)
Under 2020, if Emirates opens a new order, It must pay $200,000 and another $200,000 if the order is violated within a year.
Air traffic control did not give clearance to ascend or instructed flights to operate below the restricted level in flight, an Emirates spokesperson said in a statement.
Our pilots followed ATC (air traffic control) instructions, which is fully compliant with international aviation regulations.
It was reported that the flights at issue were below certain altitudes in the Baghdad Flight Information Region, where all U.S. air carriers, all U.S. commercial operators, and code shares are forbidden from operating without special permission from the FAA. If Emirates violates the rules again within a year, it could be fined $300,000.
