US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2255

UNCLAS AMMAN 002255 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAIR, EAID, IZ, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZ01: ROYAL JORDANIAN INTEREST IN IRAQ CIVIL 
AVIATION 
 
REF:  Amman 1251 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary.  Royal Jordanian Airlines (RJ) indicates 
its availability to help Iraqi Airways or a successor Iraqi 
airline begin operations as quickly as possible.  RJ, which 
has long experience in Iraq, is ready to operate flights on 
behalf of Iraqi Airways and/or provide technical, training 
and any other assistance, possibility in tandem with the 
Jordanian Civil Aviation Authority.  Post is not aware of 
USG planning for civil aviation operations in Iraq, but RJ's 
offer sounds like it has some advantages.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (SBU) Royal Jordanian  Airlines (RJ) CEO Samer Majali 
called on Ambassador Gnehm April 10 to reiterate his 
thoughts about how RJ could be helpful in getting Iraqi 
civil aviation restarted as early as possible (ref).  Majali 
thought having Iraqi Airways in the air quickly would send 
an important signal of normalcy to Iraqis and to the world, 
but noted that IA has been essentially cut off from the 
international aviation community for well over a decade. 
Its fleet is not airworthy (the four jets on the ground in 
Amman should be junked) and its personnel are no longer 
qualified.  Royal Jordanian has long experience operating 
into Iraq and knows its three international airports 
(Baghdad, Mosul, and Basra) and the domestic airports well. 
 
3.  (SBU) Majali said that RJ would be ready immediately to 
operate "wet leases" (both crew and aircraft) on behalf of 
IA.   An arrangement could include repainting RJ aircraft in 
the colors of IA or a successor airline.  RJ would be 
pleased to discuss any other arrangements.  RJ could provide 
crew, maintenance, marketing support and help train new 
Iraqi IA staff and bring old staff up to date.  Furthermore, 
Majali thought that Jordan's Civil Aviation Authority would 
similarly be ready to provide support for Iraqi air traffic 
control, aviation security, ground handling and other 
regulatory functions and operations. 
 
4.  (SBU) Comment:  We do not know what Washington's 
thinking has been about Iraqi Airways or civil aviation in 
Iraq.  From our vantage point, Majali's ideas seem to make a 
lot of sense.  RJ has the familiarity, expertise and extra 
capacity to move in quickly and -- with its direct service 
to the U.S. -- operates at the highest international safety 
and security standards.  Its staff is entirely Arabic 
speaking and able to interact smoothly with Iraqi 
counterparts (which may not be the case for other Arab 
airlines).  Most also speak excellent English.  The 
Jordanian CAA is similarly professional and would be 
excellent, bilingual counterparts for U.S. and Iraqi 
personnel in Iraq.  The CAA also runs a training academy and 
ICAO regional aviation security-training program in Amman 
that currently offers state of the art training to airlines 
and regulators from throughout the Arab world.  This would 
also seem to be a logical opportunity to train Iraqis. 
Gnehm