Lack of documentation with leased 767 delays plans to serve Middle East city, but operations may start in February
Iraqi Airways could start operating its new services to Dubai as early as February, after a delay thought to be caused by lack of documentation.
Jordanian company Teebah Airlines took delivery of a leased ex-Air Canada Boeing 767-200 in early December and had planned to start operations for Iraqi Airways by the end of last year (Flight International, 7-13 December 2004). The aircraft is understood to have been delivered without a Boeing flight manual, Jeppesen charts for the Middle East, runway data charts and only temporary ferry flight information loaded into its navigation database. Jean-Marc Bollinger, chief executive of World Airline Services, the Lebanese company providing crew for the 767, says it was unable to crew the aircraft without these documents.
"We hope to inaugurate the service to Dubai as soon as we receive these documents," he adds. Crew have assisted on flights in Iraqi Airways' 737-200s, to familiarise themselves with Baghdad airport's defensive spiral approach, Bollinger adds.
Saif Seebah, Teebah operations manager, says however there was no problem with lack of documents, but adds that there is no specific date for the start of operations.
Three services a week will initially be flown in each direction between the two cities, with the aircraft positioning each night to Amman, Jordan, to avoid stopovers in Baghdad. A second 767 has been sourced to enable daily services to start. At least three more 767s and two 737s are being sought.
JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
