Seven More Airlines Get OK to Fly to Iraq

Associated Press | Wednesday, July 30, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

Seven More Airlines Get OK to Fly to Iraq

.c The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) - Seven more airlines have been given permission to begin scheduled flights between the United States and Iraq, the government said Tuesday.

It may be a while, though, before it is safe for Iraq's commercial airports to open.

The Transportation Department approved applications to fly cargo for five airlines: Air Transport International, Gemini Air Cargo, Evergreen International Airlines, Atlas Air and Polar Air Cargo. Two others, North American Airlines and Continental Airlines, were given permission to fly cargo and passengers.

The Coalition Provisional Authority this month invited airlines to apply for permission to provide limited service to Baghdad International Airport and Basra International Airport. Neither has opened for commercial service.

The airlines still need approvals from several U.S. government agencies as well. The Transportation Security Administration, for example, must make sure that security is adequate at Iraqi airports.

In June, transportation officials gave the go-ahead to World Airways, Northwest Airlines and Kalitta Air to fly between the United States and Iraq.

On the Net:

Transportation Department: http://www.dot.gov

[JohnHuang2]

Wednesday, July 30, 2003

Quote of the Day by goldstategop

[Bobby777]

I know this is incredibly obvious, but I hope their will be extra measures taken on security here ... for what should be incredibly obvious reasons ... given the attacks on U.S. troops, no doubt some of the Saddam loyalists would like to pull an attack over there ...