Iraqi Airways has today received their first-ever Boeing 787 Dreamliner, a 787-8, which was greeted by a special celebratory event in Baghdad. This is the first of 10 787s on order by the carrier, and follows the delivery of four 737 MAX Family airplanes in February 2023.

On Thursday (June 22, 2023), Boeing announced that Iraqi Airways has received their first of 10 Boeing 787 Dreamliners on order, a Boeing 787-8 model. Today's delivery was celebrated with a special event in Baghdad, and follows the delivery of four Boeing 737 MAX Family airplanes in February 2023. The carrier has ordered a total of six Boeing 737-8s and 10 of the larger capacity 737-10 MAX. Iraqi Airways currently serves over 50 destinations from Baghdad, and the new 787s will facilitate the airline’s international expansion.
In today’s announcement, Iraqi Airways’ Director General, Manaf Abdel-Monem, said,
“We are proud to be taking delivery of an airplane with the capabilities of the 787 Dreamliner. As domestic and international air traffic gains momentum, it’s crucial that our Iraqi Airways fleet matches growing demand with more efficient, capable and comfortable airplanes. The 787 and 737 MAX airplanes we have received are key to our fleet renewal program which aims to ensure we can fly our passengers around the world in the safety and comfort they expect from a modern and efficient airline like Iraqi Airways.”
Also commenting on the landmark delivery, Boeing’s Vice President – Commercial Sales and Marketing for the Middle East, Omar Arekat, said,
“Today marks a new beginning for Iraqi Airways, taking delivery of its first 787 Dreamliner that will support the airline in connecting Iraq to the world. Boeing is committed to supporting Iraqi Airways’ ambition to bring greater optimization and new route possibilities to the region.”
Boeing’s President – Middle East, Türkiye and Africa, Kuljit Ghata-Aura, added,
“Air transport is at the heart of economic growth. It creates employment, facilitates trade, enables tourism and supports sustainable development. The arrival of the Boeing 787 today is an important step in connecting the Iraqi people to the region and the world. We look forward to supporting the Iraqi government and the Iraqi private sector as they grow Iraq’s commercial fleet and modernize the country’s commercial aviation infrastructure.”
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner can fly 248 passengers up to 7,305 nautical miles (13,530) in a typical two-class configuration. Delivering a 25 percent reduction in fuel use and emissions compared to the airplanes it replaces, the 787 Family has reduced over 141 billion pounds of carbon emissions since entering service in 2011. The Dreamliner Family has also allowed operators to launch more than 250 new nonstop routes worldwide, including 50 new routes since 2020 alone.
In addition to the new 737-8s and 787-8 Dreamliner, Iraqi Airways operates a fleet of over 40 Boeing airplanes, including 737-800s, 747s and 777s.
Boeing (NYSE: BA) is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading supplier of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, as well as global services. The aerospace giant tops the list of the largest U.S. exporters, providing a significant positive impact to America’s annual GDP. Boeing supports government and commercial customers in over 150 countries and employs more than 160,000 team members worldwide. As Boeing continues to deliver for customers, they are committed to their legacy of aerospace leadership in technology and innovation and living the company’s core values of safety, quality and integrity.
Source: Boeing