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DOT 51-03
Friday, June 13, 2003
Tel.:
(202) 366-5571
DOT Grants Applications For
Air Service to Iraq
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today granted
the applications of three U.S. airlines – World Airways, Northwest Airlines
and Kalitta Air – to provide, subject to further U.S. government clearances,
scheduled air service to Iraq.
The authority granted cannot alone result in new service to
Iraq. It is subject to the
carriers’ compliance with all applicable requirements of DOT, the Federal
Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, the
Department of Defense and other federal agencies.
In addition, the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq, in conjunction
with DOT, is currently examining the prospect of restoring safe and secure air
transportation in that country.
“Re-establishing air service will help with Iraq’s
recovery and assist in its return to the community of nations,” said U.S.
Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta.
“While our action today is only an initial step to restoring air
service, it is a significant step toward a safe and secure aviation link with
Iraq.”
On May 27, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of
Foreign Asset Control announced that it had issued a general license authorizing
most of the transactions, including those related to transportation, that had
been prohibited since a 1990 Executive Order imposing sanctions on Iraq.
Following that action, on May 30 DOT lifted its own prohibition on
U.S.-Iraq air service, and today’s action constitutes a logical next step in
DOT’s efforts to facilitate and promote service restoration.
World Airways plans scheduled combination passenger and
cargo service between Washington Dulles Airport and Baghdad via Geneva.
Northwest sought and received authority to operate scheduled combination
service between any U.S. and any Iraqi city and beyond, with service via
Amsterdam. Northwest may elect to
serve Baghdad through a code share on KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
Kalitta plans scheduled all-cargo service between the United States and
Iraq and also plans service to Kuwait and Jordan.
In addition to the authority granted by the department
today, United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines have existing
certificate authority to serve Iraq.
United has notified DOT that it plans to place its code on
flights to Baghdad by Lufthansa German Airlines flying from Frankfurt, Germany,
and on those of Austrian Airlines from Vienna.
The department’s order and carrier applications may be
obtained on the Internet at http://dms.dot.gov,
dockets OST-2003-15031, 15135 and 15093.
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