US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2404

UNCLAS BAGHDAD 002404 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR NEA/I, EB/TRA 
 
TAGS: ELAB, ECON, PGOV, IZ 
SUBJECT: IRAQ: Iraqi Airways Inaugural Flight to Basra. 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - USG DIST ONLY - NOT FOR 
INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
1. (SBU) Iraqi Airways (IA), with assistance from the 
British Royal Air Force at Basrah Airport in Southern Iraq, 
conducted a test flight of their B727 passenger aircraft on 
May 31, 2005 from Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). 
This was followed up by the first passenger flight from 
Baghdad to Basrah, which returned on Saturday June 4, 2005. 
On board the inaugural flight was the Minister of 
Transportation, Mr. Salam Al-Maliki, along with 42 
passengers.  The news media carried the event.  This is 
considered the first domestic flight by an Iraqi airline 
since Saddam Hussein was in power. 
 
2. (SBU) Due to lack of infrastructure, financial and legal 
reasons, Iraqi Air is the product of a "wet lease" agreement 
between Iraqi Airways, Ministry of Transportation's State- 
Owned Enterprise (SOE) and an aviation company in Amman, 
Jordan.  All IA flights originate in Amman.  This flight is 
the first commercial charter connection to the Southern 
Iraqi city of Basrah, Iraq's second largest by population. 
According to press reports, IA will service Basrah three or 
four times a week.  IRMO Transportation representatives 
continue to work closely with the Iraqi Civil Aviation 
Authority (ICAA) to ensure IA is following all the necessary 
security and flight request procedures for this route. 
 
3. (SBU) Reports indicate IA will begin flights to Erbil 
Airport in Northern Iraq under the same arrangements from 
Amman, Jordan.  Erbil has recently been approved by the ICAA 
for limited charter operations authorized under the 
Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).  Construction of 
Sulemaniyah airport is not yet completed.   Post continues 
to work closely with Iraqi civil aviation authorities and IA 
representatives on these and other issues.  Minister of 
Transportation Salam Auda Al-Maliki has listed the opening 
of Iraq's airports among his top priorities (septel.) 
 
Satterfield