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OO RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHVI #0217 0451456
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 141456Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY VIENNA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9481
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0151
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS VIENNA 000217 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON AU IZ
SUBJECT: AUSTRIAN AIRLINES RESUMES FLIGHTS TO IRAQ 
 
REF: A) 07 STOCKHOLM 987  B) 06 VIENNA 609 
 
¶1.  Austrian Airlines (AUA) announced February 13 that it would 
resume regularly scheduled service to the northern Iraqi city of 
Erbil starting April 2.  AUA had suspended its flights to Erbil in 
August 2007, following an incident in which a Swedish commercial 
aircraft reportedly came under rocket fire (ref A).  Initially, AUA 
will offer three direct flights a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, 
Fridays), with plans to add a fourth flight (Sundays) in June. 
Prior to the 2007 suspension, AUA flew four times a week to Erbil. 
 
¶2.  An AUA spokesperson underscored that all security issues have 
been adequately addressed.  An AUA contact told us separately that 
the Erbil route, which AUA commenced in December 2006, had been very 
profitable for the company with a load factor of 60-80%.  Potential 
customers include ethnic Kurds living abroad, employees of 
international organizations and NGOs, and businessmen with 
connections to the region.  The spokesperson confirmed that AUA had 
no plans to fly to additional Iraqi destinations for the moment. 
 
¶3.  On February 2, Iraqi's Mesopotamia Air began flying between 
Vienna and the northern Iraqi city of Sulemaniya five times a week. 
An Austrian aviation company provides aircraft, crew, and logistical 
support for Mesopotamia Air.  Our AUA contact downplayed any 
concerns about competition, pointing out that Mesopotamia's load 
factors "were very low." 
 
KILNER#