Iraq: Night operations begin for first time at Kirkuk International Airport.

SHOTLIST: KIRKUK, IRAQ (MAY 23, 2026) 1. VARIOUS INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF KIRKUK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT / PASSENGERS, AIRPORT PERSONNEL AND NIGHT OPERATIONS 2. VARIOUS OF AIRPORTS PERSONNEL, LADING AND OPERATIONS AFTER LANDINGKIRKUK, IRAQ - MAY 23, 2026: Night operations have commenced at Kirkuk International Airport in Iraq for the first time on Saturday, May 23, roughly four years after the facility initially opened. Herdi Samed, the press officer for Kirkuk Airport, confirmed that nighttime flights have officially started at the facility. According to Samed, the introduction of night flights is part of ongoing initiatives aimed at upgrading the service quality and overall performance of the airport. Under the new schedule, the airport will handle three night flights per week operating on the route between Kirkuk and Istanbul. The airport official noted that the inaugural night flight took place on the Kirkuk-Istanbul route, adding that this milestone has successfully raised the total volume of flights at the airport. Samed stated that management aims to boost the frequency of daily flights and provide travelers with more flexible scheduling options throughout the day and night. Kirkuk Airport was officially inaugurated on October 16, 2022, during a ceremony attended by Nasser Hussein, who served as the Iraqi Minister of Transport at the time. The airport's first international flights to Turkey were launched later that same month.