Iraqi Airways (Baghdad) announced on February 20 that it will begin services to Manchester, UK beginning on March 15, 2015.

The twice-weekly service, flown by one of the carrier’s Boeing 737-800s, will include the first flight being between Manchester and Erbil on Wednesdays at 22:00 and the second flight being between Manchester and Sulaymaniyah on Sundays, also departing at 22:00.

Erbil is the largest city and capital of the semi-autonoumous Kurdistan region of Iraq. Erbil is located 55 miles east of Mosul.

Report by Assistant Editor Oliver Wilcock from Manchester.

Copyright Photo: Brandon Farris/AirlinersGallery.com. Brand new Boeing 737-8Z YI-ASR (msn 40080) was just handed over to the carrier on February 20.

Iraqi Airways aircraft slide show: