The Iraqi Airways logo embodies the airline’s ideals: high speed, masterful flight, smooth takeoff, balance, professionalism, and uniqueness. The emblem reflects the carrier’s desire to grow and develop, improving its skills year after year.
Iraqi Airways: Brand overview
Founded in 1945, Iraqi Airways, the national airline of Iraq, has a rich history. Based in Baghdad, its primary operations hub is at Baghdad International Airport. Being one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, its inaugural commercial flight took to the skies in 1946.
The airline was initially the property of the Iraqi government. However, the 2003 Iraq War’s aftermath saw it reboot as a state entity in 2004. As of 2023, Iraqi Airways’ fleet, consisting of approximately 25 aircraft – Airbus A320s, Boeing 737s, CRJ900s, and Boeing 777s – connect to over 15 locations within the domestic, regional, and international arenas, including destinations such as London, Stockholm, Tehran, and Jeddah.
Travelers on Iraqi Airways can choose between Business and Economy Class. The airline also offers a chauffeur-driven service to its business-class passengers, adding a touch of luxury to their journey. While its reputation peaked in the 1970s, when it was recognized as a premium airline in the Middle East, Iraqi Airways’ journey since then mirrors the turbulence of Iraq’s aviation history.
Despite the ongoing security issues plaguing Iraq, the national carrier aspires to reclaim its status as a significant player in the regional aviation landscape. To this end, the airline has initiated a comprehensive expansion and modernization plan to upgrade its network and fleet. The goal is to expand its fleet to more than 40 aircraft, thus reinforcing its commitment to enhancing its operations and services.
Meaning and History
What is Iraqi Airways?
It is the national airline of Iraq, based in Baghdad. It provides regular passenger and cargo services to various domestic and international destinations. As one of the oldest airlines in the Middle East, it plays a crucial role in maintaining air connectivity for the country despite numerous challenges and upheavals throughout its history. The company operates diverse narrow-body and wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 737, Airbus A320, and Boeing 747, serving key regional routes and beyond.
1945 – today
One of the oldest airlines has a logo with deep significance: it combines text and illustrations and is a genuine immersion into Iraq’s ancient culture, mythology, and national values.
The core element is a stylized bird, a composite image resembling a vulture, hawk, and eagle native to the country. These birds are known for their endurance, speed, attentiveness, and ability to fly higher than others. This way, the airline conveys the qualities that set it apart from competitors.
An interesting marketing approach is visually solidified: smooth lines and elegant curves evoke a sense of calm, confidence, and tranquility, instilling trust in the company. Even the sharp ends of the wings do not disrupt this impression. Instead, they add clarity to the image by showing the bird’s direction of flight, which is westward.
At the same time, the bird resembles a symbol from Arabic script. It reflects the drive to enhance technology, develop services, and conquer the skies, positioning itself at the forefront of the aviation sector in the eastern region. This symbol conveys the company’s core values and ideals, focusing on flight. These include:
- Pride in its culture
- Respect for traditions
- Pursuit of innovation
- Support for uniqueness
The Iraqi Airways logo uses two types of fonts: Arabic characters and English glyphs. Despite the differences in writing, both versions are recognizable and readable. They are adapted to each other, making it difficult to discern the language at first glance. The shapes of the letters are almost identical: the symbols appear as geometric figures with equal edge lengths, making them resemble miniature squares.
Thick lines and rounded corners convey a sense of loyalty and friendliness, which is crucial for a service-oriented brand. Consequently, the lowercase font enhances trust in the airline and sets passengers up for a comfortable experience.
Interestingly, the only color in the Iraqi Airways logo is green. This color holds key significance for Iraqis, symbolizing grace, and is highly revered. Green represents growth, prosperity, responsibility, and care. It complements the company’s concept and ideals, making it widely recognizable.