U.S. to End 16-Year Ban on U.S.-Iraq Flights

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12-07-2012, 01:23 AM

simuflite

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U.S. to End 16-Year Ban on U.S.-Iraq Flights

U.S. to End 16-Year Ban on Commercial Flights to Iraq - Businessweek

Quote:

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is lifting a 16-year-old ban on commercial flights by U.S. carriers to two airports in Kurdish northern Iraq, citing increased stability in the region.
Civilian flights to that nation, which had been the scene a U.S.-imposed no-fly zone and then a war to depose President Saddam Hussein, were halted in 1996 for safety reasons, the FAA said in a notice to be published in the Federal Register tomorrow.

I understand that DL retains "dormant" route authorities for BGW service and that NW received route authority for DTW-AMS-BGW (Baghdad) back in 2003. This is fascinating considering the war was just getting started there. Can anyone shed some light on NWA's reasoning and justifcation for requesting the authority?

Baghdad International Airport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

12-07-2012, 06:41 AM

USMCFLYR

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Another article on the subject:

FAA allows US airlines to operate in parts of Iraq - Travel on NBCNews.com

USMCFLYR

12-07-2012, 11:03 AM

Superpilot92

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Quote:

Originally Posted by simuflite

U.S. to End 16-Year Ban on Commercial Flights to Iraq - Businessweek

I understand that DL retains "dormant" route authorities for BGW service and that NW received route authority for DTW-AMS-BGW (Baghdad) back in 2003. This is fascinating considering the war was just getting started there. Can anyone shed some light on NWA's reasoning and justifcation for requesting the authority?

Baghdad International Airport - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NWA had a lot of Military charter ops and Cargo Ops with the 747 freighters. not sure if thats why but it very well may have been because of that.

12-07-2012, 01:05 PM

DelDah Capt

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Quote:

Originally Posted by simuflite

....and that NW received route authority for DTW-AMS-BGW (Baghdad) back in 2003. This is fascinating considering the war was just getting started there. Can anyone shed some light on NWA's reasoning and justifcation for requesting the authority?

I'm not sure if this is why, but according to US census information, the single highest concentration of Arab Americans is in the Detroit area (particularly around Dearborn MI). The highest clusters of Iraqi-Americans, which have been bolstered by refugees in recent years, is also in the Detroit area. There are large groups in Chicago as well, and newer resettled refugee groups in Phoenix, DC, and San Diego.