US embassy cable - 03KUWAIT1005

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001005 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, CASC, KU 
SUBJECT: KUWAIT AIRWAYS PREPARES FOR WAR 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 00806 
     B. STATE 71829 
 
1. SUMMARY. In the face of a potential US-led attack on Iraq 
and any retaliatory strikes, Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) 
unveiled its emergency plan, which includes reduced flights 
and the possibility of relocating operations to Dubai. 
Officials at Kuwait International Airport will continue to 
maintain operations unless military action jeopardizes the 
safety of civilian flights (ref A), but KAC and other 
carriers have developed contingency plans that involve 
transporting passengers overland to airports in neighboring 
countries.  Additional safety measures are being taken at 
Kuwait's airport ahead of any crisis.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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KAC EMERGENCY PLAN 
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2. Fawaz Al-Farah, Deputy Director General for Aviation 
Safety and Air Transport at Kuwait's Directorate General of 
Civil Aviation (DGCA), told EconOff March 16, 2003, that KAC 
submitted an emergency plan in the event that Kuwait 
International Airport is forced to halt civilian operations. 
Al-Farah reiterated that the airport plans to remain open as 
long as possible, closing only if allied attacks from Kuwait, 
Iraqi counterattacks, or terrorist activity make it too 
dangerous to continue civilian flights. 
 
3. KAC conferred and coordinated with DGCA and Kuwait's Civil 
Defense Department to design its emergency plan.  The plan's 
main component involves KAC relocating its base of operations 
to Dubai, in nearby United Arab Emirates, until it is safe to 
resume flights from Kuwait.  In this arrangement, KAC would 
limit its departures to four or five destinations, including 
Bombay, Cairo, Jedda, and London.  Passengers traveling to 
other places, such as the United States or Western Europe, 
would need to make connecting flights. 
 
4. On March 14, KAC Board Chairman Ahmad Al-Zaben told 
Kuwaiti news agency KUNA that KAC plans to continue operating 
most of its flights.  With the possible onset of hostilities, 
however, KAC is among those airlines in the Middle East that 
has started curtailing some of its commercial flights (ref 
B).  These routes include two direct flights to Chicago, 
three to London, and four each to Frankfurt, New York, Paris, 
and Rome, in addition to other flights outside Europe and the 
United States. 
 
5. Al-Zaben said that KAC has devised plans to address 
critical conditions and secure safety of passengers during 
flights, as well as helping them transit by land to Dubai or 
an alternate location near Kuwait, if necessary.  Al-Farah 
said that DGCA has requested from KAC details on specific 
arrangements for transporting passengers overland, as well as 
any special visa arrangements.  He was told that KAC was 
finalizing its plans and would reveal them soon. 
 
6. While KAC has the largest staff and operates the most 
flights out of Kuwait, it is not alone.  Other carriers, such 
as British Airways, KLM, and  Lufthansa, continue to operate 
at mostly full or slightly reduced schedules (ref A). 
Al-Farah said each individual carrier must decide whether to 
continue flights from Kuwait and will be responsible for 
ensuring its passengers reach alternate destination sites. 
 
7. Al-Zaben said KAC may be forced to slightly raise airline 
fares due to increased insurance and fuel costs, but would 
keep ticket hikes within the minimum range and not try to 
gouge anxious passengers.  In an effort to offset any 
increases, KAC Director General Shaykh Talal Mubarak Al-Sabah 
told the press March 14 that "KAC has decided to cut 
operation costs to meet the demands of lower income groups" 
who might want to leave Kuwait in the time of emergency. 
DGCA's Al-Farah said his office has not yet received requests 
from any of the air carriers to increase ticket prices. 
 
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AIRPORT OPERATIONS 
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8. Al-Farah said overall operations of Kuwait's airport will 
depend on a given situation.  He admitted it was possible 
that all civilian operations would cease in a time of crisis 
and only military flights would originate from Kuwait.  He 
added that KAC and other carriers have plans to scatter or 
remove their aircraft from the runway should word come of an 
imminent missile attack from Iraq.  If the airport closes, 
KAC will immediately vacate its jets to Dubai, Al-Farah said. 
 
9. In the event of an attack, the airport has provisions to 
shelter its personnel and any passengers on the premises.  An 
extensive basement under the airport grounds has been 
prepared and equipped with food, water, and first aid kits. 
Gas masks are available for all staff members but not yet for 
the general public.  Al-Farah said a massive review of the 
airport's fire fighting system was conducted last year, 
following a large-scale fire at the airport in August. 
Airport staff have been put through several training sessions 
and provided detailed instructions in case of emergency. 
 
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COMMENT 
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10. Post plans to keep in regular contact with DGCA and has 
asked Al-Farah to alert us of any new developments in the 
operations of Kuwait Airways Corporation or Kuwait 
International Airport. 
JONES