US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1661

UNCLAS AMMAN 001661 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
COMMERCE FOR 4520/ITA/MAC/ONE/COBERG 
ATHENS FOR CASLO MONTGOMERY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, AMGT, JO, CACS 
SUBJECT: TF1Z01: RJ FLYING, BUT MOST INTERNATIONAL CARRIERS 
SUSPEND FLIGHTS 
 
 
1.  (SBU) Queen Alia International Airport Director Nasri 
Nowar told us that while the airport remains open, most 
international carriers have suspended or are about to suspend 
service.  These include KLM, Air France, Lufthansa, Alitalia, 
and British Airways.  He said that national carrier Royal 
Jordanian Airlines (RJ) and regional carriers Gulf Air, 
Emirates, and others continue to operate.  The airport is on 
what Nowar called "high security alert status."  In the event 
of hostilities, Nowar said he expected to keep the airport 
open.  He said that he has worked with a number of 
humanitarian agencies to coordinate arrangements for use of 
the airport for humanitarian purposes. 
 
2.  (SBU) RJ officials told us the airline had canceled its 
Thursday and Friday UN-approved charter flights to Baghdad. 
Otherwise, the airline hopes to continue to operate normally 
for as long as possible and as long as insurance is 
available.  This includes RJ's direct service to JFK, 
Chicago, and Detroit.  If operations out of Amman become 
impossible, RJ will transfer its hub to Athens, with regular 
shuttle flights to Amman.  Nowar added that a number of 
Iraqis, denied entry into Jordan in accordance with current 
GOJ policy, were expected to be returned to Baghdad via an 
unscheduled RJ flight today, Wednesday, March 19. 
GNEHM