VZCZCXRO9728
RR RUEHDA RUEHDH RUEHKUK
DE RUEHBC #0004/01 0401327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091327Z FEB 10
FM REO BASRAH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0965
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0541
RUCNRAQ/IRAQ COLLECTIVE
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0004
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBC/REO BASRAH 1003

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BASRAH 000004 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EEB/TRA 
STATE PASS US DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 
AMCONSULATE MONTREAL PASS US MISSION TO ICAO 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ICAO EINV IZ
SUBJECT: BASRAH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT: GREAT TRANSPORT AND COMMERCIAL 
POTENTIAL, BUT SLOW GOING DEVELOPING THE SURROUNDING AREA 
 
REF: 09 BASRAH 16 
 
BASRAH 00000004  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (SBU) Basrah International Airport (BIA) could play an 
important role in facilitating economic growth in southern Iraq, 
and become a force-multiplier for hydrocarbon, services, ports, 
and other commercial activity.  Relatively new and 
under-utilized, the airport also connects to Iraq's rail, port, 
and road infrastructure.  Since 2005, BIA has seen increased 
domestic, international, and charter flights.  Service to more 
cities is planned in the near future.  Today, BIA is fully under 
Iraqi civilian control, as the US military's presence 
diminishes.  Since the 2009 FAA technical assessment, BIA has 
also addressed significant safety and security issues, moving 
the airport closer toward compliance with international 
standards.  However, only modest progress has been made in 
developing the surrounding area owned by the Ministry of 
Transportation's Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA).  With 
increased investor interest in Basrah, and security the best it 
has been in five years, the time is ripe for continuing to push 
the MOT toward facilitating private investment at the airport. 
End summary. 
 
Under-utilized airport, good transport links 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Located around eight miles west of Basrah city and 30 
miles north of the Persian Gulf, BIA was built in 1987, and has 
been largely under-utilized ever since.  Its single runway is 
4,200 meters long and 23 meters wide, sufficient to handle 
modern commercial air carriers including long-haul aircraft such 
as Boeing 747s and Antonov  cargo planes.  The arrival gates, 
lobby and waiting areas are modern and clean.  Many first-time 
visitors often express surprise at the airport's orderliness. 
The terminal has five gates and parking stands for up to 12 
aircraft directly in front of the terminal building.  There is 
also a seldom-used cargo hangar.  BIA has good connecting 
multi-modal transport potential.  The airport is linked by good 
roads to Baghdad (270 miles), Iran (18 miles), and Kuwait (32 
miles).  There is a rail station five miles away in downtown 
Basra.  Iraq's only deep-water Port of Umm Qasr is 30 miles 
south via a good highway. 
 
Increased commercial, charter, religious flights 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3. (SBU) While air traffic is still light, frequency has 
increased in recent years.  BIA currently supports about 40 
weekly scheduled civilian flights, by flag carrier Iraqi Airways 
(IA), Royal Jordanian, and UAE-based Jupiter Airways to and from 
Baghdad, Dubai, Amman, Erbil, and Sulemaniya.  BIA and the MOT 
recently announced that IA will start a twice-weekly direct 
service between Basra and Beirut. Turkish Airways will begin a 
twice-weekly Istanbul-Najaf-Basra service.  UAE-based Skylink 
Arabia will also soon re-start its three times per week route to 
Kuwait.  UAE-based Skylink Arabia handles all US military and 
most commercial charter ground handling, passenger services, and 
cargo.  IA handles all such activities for scheduled commercial 
flights. 
 
¶4. (SBU) According to BIA management, three or four business 
charters come to BIA daily, mainly from Dubai, Kuwait, Amman, 
and Baghdad.  During the December 2009 Hajj pilgrimage, around 
4,200 passengers from Iraq, Iran, Jordan, and Kuwait traveled to 
Saudi Arabia via BIA.  Other religious pilgrimage charters 
travel frequently to Shi'a religious sites in nearby Najaf and 
Karbala. 
 
US military presence diminishing 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) BIA was transferred to full Iraqi civilian control 
January 1, 2009, and is run by the ICAA under the MOT.  Prior to 
that, the military had made changes to the airport in support of 
their military operation.  In recent years, UK and US militaries 
used BIA in support of Coalition operations and had made 
structural changes to the airport, some of which need to be 
corrected before the airport can comply with ICAO standards. 
However, since 2003, the US military has also provided about 
$120 million in runway and infrastructure improvements and 
trained Iraqi civilian staff.  Two significant projects, which 
 
BASRAH 00000004  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
will improve the electrical services and runway, remain.  US 
military personnel have provided some air traffic control 
services.  Embassy Baghdad's Office of the Transportation 
Attache (OTA) officials have urged the GOI and the air traffic 
control manager to increase Iraqi-led hours of air traffic 
control.  OTA is currently working with the military and the 
ICAA on all of these issues. 
 
Important goal: Airport Certification, Compliance with 
International Standards 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Presently, even though some international carriers 
operate from BIA, the airport has not been fully assessed for 
compliance with international standards, specifically ICAO's 
Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) or ICAA specific 
standards in order to ensure that it meets minimum levels of 
airport operations, safety and security.  Such compliance could 
help BIA attract more world class carriers and business, 
although several carriers currently operate at their own risk 
and extra cost.  Compliance with ICAO standards or equivalent 
set of standards as well as ICAA airport certification are 
paramount goals of the airport and the ICAA.  OTA is working 
with ICAA to develop such capabilities, including a 
certification program. 
 
OTA and FAA assessment: Some deficiencies, but generally in good 
shape 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) In March 2009, FAA, with OTA's assistance, conducted 
site assessments of BIA's passenger operations and runway, as 
they relate to ICAO standards.  They also determined what steps 
were necessary for eventual ICAA certification of BIA.  The ICAA 
Director General and BIA officials requested the assessment. 
The FAA found BIA's terminal and runway structures, operations 
and management to be in generally good shape.  BIA is 
underutilized and could handle greater traffic volumes.  The 
team reviewed terminal operations from the perspective of 
inbound arriving and outbound departing passenger flow, from 
airport entry to aircraft boarding and back, including customs, 
immigration, and baggage claim.  Ministry of Interior and ICAA 
personnel share security responsibilities.  Some facilities and 
equipment improvements will likely be required in the medium 
term to support expansion. 
 
¶8. (SBU) In December 2009, The OTA team conducted an informal 
assessment and found that improvements to the airfield are still 
needed, but noted significant progress since the March 2009 
assessment.  They concluded the airfield appears to be well 
managed overall.  The runway, associated taxiways, and 
operational areas are in good condition.  Deficiencies remain 
with the airfield electrical system associated with the runway 
and taxiway lighting system, some incorrectly installed or 
marked taxiway signs and paintings, and some fire fighting and 
fueling operations.  OTA also recommends that BIA update its 
Aerodrome Manual, Safety Management System, and Aerodrome 
Maintenance Program.  BIA staff asked for OTA's assistance in 
reviewing these programs, and OTA will consider this request. 
 
Surrounding land ripe for commercial use; slow GOI response 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) US and local businesspeople and government officials 
have long recognized the strong commercial potential of BIA's 
surrounding land and infrastructure.  They see the area, which 
encompasses the Basra PRT, as a potential springboard for local 
development which could accommodate the fast-growing oil sector. 
 PRT Basra is aware of several proposed foreign and local 
investor development projects to develop hotels and offices from 
existing buildings or to build new structures altogether.  There 
are also plans to create special economic zones, and plans to 
privately manage BIA as a travel, cargo, logistics and 
warehousing hub.  In most cases, these proposals have already 
received Basra Investment Commission investment licenses, but 
still lack the needed final approval from the MOT/ICAA.  MOT, 
but more specifically ICAA, controls the land surrounding the 
airport and has developed a Master Plan for Basra Airport called 
Basra Airport City Masterplan.  This plan was delayed due to 
internal MOT deliberations regarding the best mechanisms to 
engage investors. 
 
 
BASRAH 00000004  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶10. (SBU) There has been some recent movement.  BIA officials 
recently told PRTOffs that IA will soon be awarded the 
concession rights for all airport properties and some 
surrounding land.  IA in turn could hire a private company to 
develop these assets or construct new offices or hotels.  BIA 
officials also confirmed that the Italian oil company ENI (which 
is partnering with U.S.-based Occidental and South Korea-based 
Kogas to develop the nearby Az Zubair oilfield) is building a 
small temporary office/housing compound adjacent to PRT Basra, 
and within the MOT-controlled airport land.  BIA officials said 
that other parcels of similar land will be made available to 
other firms.  The Minister of Transportation has also informed 
OTA that this is a priority and they are looking not only at 
short term, but also long term development plans. 
 
Comment: Additional steps are needed for BIA development 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
 
¶11. (SBU) BIA and surrounding area holds great potential as a 
force multiplier in any southern Iraq economic resurgence. 
Sitting on top of seven percent of the world's oil reserves, and 
with the best security situation in years, Basrah Province's 
economy could be poised to take off.  With such strong investor 
interest, the time is ripe to make this fine airport the 
transport and commercial hub it could be.  The PRT, US Army, OTA 
and investors continue to encourage ICAA/MOT to take advantage 
of this unique opportunity.  However, despite some small steps 
in this direction, the ICAA/MOT have yet to be able to fully 
overcome its bureaucracy and misgivings about private investment. 
NALAND