US embassy cable - 03ANKARA1791

UNCLAS ANKARA 001791 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE, EB/TRA, OPERATIONS CENTER 
ROME FOR FAA, PARIS FOR TSA 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, ASEC, ATRN, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKISH AIRLINES SUSPENDS FLIGHTS TO KUWAIT 
 
Turkish Airlines (THY) announced March 20 that it was 
suspending its operations to Kuwait; it did not announce a 
date for resumption of operations.  THY currently operates 
two flights per week to Kuwait.  This news tracks with what 
THY's Chief of Marketing told econoff March 18.  The Chief of 
Marketing said that the airline likely would suspend 
operations to Kuwait once the Iraq operation began. 
Otherwise, she said, THY would only change its normal 
schedule under the following circumstances:  1) In case of 
airspace closures that made it impossible for them to reach 
their destination; 2) if their insurance underwriter 
dramatically raised rates, making a certain flight 
prohibitively expensive; and 3) in the case of U.S. flights, 
if passenger dermand fell sharply. 
PEARSON