New Greek airline announces flights to Iraq

A new airline has begun flights between Athens and three cities in Iraq, as well as to Manchester, England, the company announced Wednesday.

Viking Hellas Airlines began flying three times a week to Manchester on Feb. 1, with ticket prices starting at euro59 ($80) one way, including fees and taxes, the airline said.

The airline is also offering three weekly flights from Athens to Iraq _ to Baghdad on Mondays, Sulaimaniyah on Wednesdays and Irbil in the north on Fridays. The return flights are the following day. Return flights to Iraq start at euro360 ($494) including fees and taxes.

Its routes to Iraq will "cover increased demand, mainly from passengers from the United Kingdom, offering functional and fast connections through Athens to Iraq," the company said in a news release.

Viking Hellas was founded in autumn 2009 and is based in Athens.