Aigle Azur Flies CDG To Baghdad
 

From Associated Press:

BAGHDAD — A French airline has landed in Baghdad international airport, becoming one of the first passenger carriers to fly into the capital direct from western Europe since the Gulf War.

The inaugural flight by France's Aigle Azur airlines landed Sunday morning after taking off late Saturday from Paris. A delegation of French business leaders was on board.

The airline says regular commercial flights will start in two to three months, and tickets will go on sale soon.

The French airline plans to fly into Baghdad twice a week from Charles de Gaulle airport.

Some carriers fly from western Europe to the Kurdish city of Irbil, and a number of regional carriers fly into Baghdad. But if successful, the Baghdad-Paris flights would be the first to western Europe from the capital.

I'm in Baghdad right now, and we just got a boat load of frenchies here, all in business suits.

Other airlines that fly in here are Iraqi Air, Etihad, Gulf Air, Fly Dubai, Turkish, and Emirates did for about a month this summer. Air France is scheduled to come here soon. Viking has been coming here, but it must not meet the ultra narrow description in the article of "western Europe".

Delta and United service the area from Kuwait. There are military charter flights that leave here for there.