US fines Emirates $1.8 million for violating flight restrictions over Iraq

The U.S. Transportation Department has fined Emirates $1.8 million for operating flights below the permitted altitude over Iraq, violating U.S. restrictions.

This penalty pertains to numerous flights between December 2021 and August 2022, during which Emirates’ planes flew below 32,000 feet over Iraq, a region off-limits to U.S. airlines due to safety concerns. The flights were part of a code-sharing agreement with JetBlue Airways, allowing the American carrier to sell seats on Emirates…