Phoenix rising

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Iraqi Airways is set for a major comeback after ordering a new fleet from Boeing in a move that could see it resume direct flights from London to Baghdad. Diana Milne reports on the airline's determination to succeed against all odds.

Languishing on the runways where they landed 18 years ago, remnants of Iraqi Airways' once 30-strong fleet can still be seen today.

Passengers flying into Jordan and other parts of the Middle East can catch a glimpse of these relics, frozen in time, since UN sanctions in the 1990s during the first Gulf War forced them to remain grounded where they landed.

Years of neglect mean most of them are no long airworthy, and the state-owned airline's current fleet is made up of around eight planes which now fly only on regional routes.

That however, is about to change. In a classic tale of succeeding against all odds, Iraqi Airways has announced it is set for a rebirth.

It has ordered 40 planes from Boeing and around six from the Canadian firm Bombadier in a deal believed to be worth US$6billion- and now hopes to re-launch direct routes between Baghdad and London.

"It's like a phoenix rising from the ashes," says Iraqi Airways' London representative Abir Burhan, who believes that establishing direct routes between Iraq and Europe would be a "massive business opportunity".

Burhan, who runs IKTB, Iraqi Airways' sales agent in London, says that Iraqi Airways' existing regional routes are fully booked, carrying many passengers who fly there indirectly from Europe, made up he says of around 60% Iraqis and 40% foreign workers.

"There is not a single flight at the moment which is not fully booked. We are seeing huge demand for flights into Baghdad," he says.

"We believe there will be truly incredible demand for direct flights from London because it will be faster and more economical.

"Currently people flying from London have to fly first to Jordan, get their paperwork and visas processed there then fly on to Baghdad which can be a time consuming process.

Convenience aside, however, is there really enough demand currently for flights direct from Europe to Baghdad - and who exactly will fly there?

John Glassey is director of the Iraq Development Programme, which promotes business in Iraq and encourages foreign investment into the country.

He says he believes there will be big demand from the large Iraqi population living in London, and from Iraqi business people and politicians who have no choice but to travel for business negotiations because of the reluctance of many Europeans to fly to Baghdad themselves.

"Iraqi political and business people travel a lot for the sake of the functioning of the country and in order to deliver on their promises because of the reticence of other nationalities to travel to them.

"London is home to 300,000 Iraqis and many government officials in Iraq have homes in London. Many senior people within the Iraqi government who were exiled under the rule of Saddam Hussein came to London.

He goes on to say that he believes there will also be demand from the many Iraqi students studying in the UK, with Manchester and Cardiff being their top universities of choice.

Timothy Mills, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Iraq, says he too is confident that a direct route between Iraq and London would see heavy demand.

"I've seen market figures showing that service on a twice a week basis to London would be subscribed to fairly heavily owing to the size of the Iraqi business community in London and the number of other people who will be drawn to fly there from London from other points in Europe.

"There is a large Iraqi population in London and following the lifting of sanctions many of these business people have re-engaged heavily with Iraq and have brought financial resources and business acumen back into the country.

While these optimistic predictions are based on the existing demand for flights to Iraq and the potential Iraqi customer base in Europe, it is hoped also that the huge investment into new planes by Iraqi Airways and the establishment of direct European routes will increase the confidence of foreign companies to fly their employees into Iraq - and even to increase foreign investment in the country.

"The security situation in Iraq is much improved over what it was 18 months ago and it's a very good sign if the situation is stable enough that you can have commercial air operations in and out of Baghdad to Europe as you can from any of the neighboring Middle Eastern countries," says Mills.

"The ease of commercial travel to and from a country is of concern to businesses, including those that are interested in making direct foreign investment.

Glassey adds: "There's absolutely no question that this will help foreign companies looking to invest in Iraq to feel confident.

"At the moment the major hold back for them is concern over security but if the government has approved a US$6billion investment into new aircraft, this is a good sign.

The deal could also serve to strengthen the confidence of the US government which, according to Timothy Mills, has imposed a prohibition on its employees flying into Baghdad on Iraqi Airways due to security concerns.

"It has to do with certain requirements under government travel regulations that employees fly on carriers that have been certified with respect to security and the like," he says.

"And although Iraqi Airways meets all certifications in terms of air worthiness and security, the US has not yet gotten around to certifying them under its procedures.

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