Air France and KLM fined over flights above Iraq
On October 23, the US Department of Transportation imposed fines totaling $425,000 on Air France and KLM for violating flight restrictions in Iraqi airspace. The flights were operated as codeshares with Delta Air Lines, which meant they were subject to the safety rules of the US FAA.
The US regulator concluded that both European carriers had flown into an area the FAA designated as restricted due to safety risks. Because the flights were codeshared under Delta Air Lines, Air France and KLM were required to follow the same rules as US airlines.
- Total fine
- $425,000
- Air France fine
- $105,000
- KLM fine
- $320,000
- Decision date
- October 23
Under FAA rules, US carriers are banned from entering airspace managed by other states where armed conflicts are underway, militant groups are active, or heightened security tensions threaten civil aviation. Foreign airlines must comply with this restriction whenever they operate a flight under a US carrier's code.
The department's investigation found that Air France operated more than 30 flights in violation of the restriction between April 2022 and November 2025, while KLM flew more than 100 such flights between January 2022 and May 2025. The authority ordered both airlines to prevent similar violations in the future.
US Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said that under the current administration, compliance with safety rules is not optional for anyone flying under a US code, and that the department will hold accountable any airline that breaks the rules.
The restriction does not cover all of Iraqi airspace, but specifically the Baghdad Flight Information Region below flight level FL320, roughly up to an altitude of 9,750 meters. The FAA last updated this measure in October 2020 and extended its validity through October 26, 2027.
Readers interested in the latest developments concerning Air France, KLM, or airspace safety restrictions can follow these carriers and topics on map.flights.