behramjee From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4439 posts, RR: 43 Posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 6168 times:
Hello,
Emirates has revealed on the GDS system that it will be launching new nonstop flights to BSR-Basra, Iraq effective Feb 2nd 2011. EK will be deploying a three class configured Airbus A 330-200 seating 240 passengers and shall operate the service 4 times per week with the following flight schedule:
Days: MON/WED/THU/SAT
EK 945 Dep DXB 1345 Arr BSR 1445
EK 946 Dep BSR 1615 Arr DXB 1910
In addition, EK too has confirmed that it is further increasing flights to both Jeddah and Riyadh from Jan 5th 2011 from 12 weekly to double daily nonstop to each city respectively. The additional 2 JED flights will be operated using an A 340-300 where as the 2 additional RUH flights will be flown with an A 330-200.
6thfreedom From Bermuda, joined Sep 2004, 3266 posts, RR: 22 Reply 1, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 5458 times:
I have a question, not just related to this announcement.
You, and other a-netters seem to pick up new services based on changes to the GDS system.
is this done by you actively looking for changes by carrier, or do you receive an alert form the GDS telling you that a new service has been loaded or an existing one changed?
behramjee From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4439 posts, RR: 43 Reply 2, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 5301 times:
We pick up on news reports published on various websites mentioning such things and more often than not they are rumors or speculation. So in order for it to be verified, we check the GDS system which is the best form of authenticity certifying the information being correct and valid as the airline itself publishes the info on to it.
SurfandSnow From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 2588 posts, RR: 31 Reply 7, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 4579 times:
Quoting Pe@rson (Reply 5): Reminds me of its announcement of Baghdad, although this service, planned to be 3x weekly from the 1st July, was postponed.
Indeed. Baghdad is still on the EK route map, so it seems they are serious about starting it. Basra is a smaller market but I haven't heard anything particularly bad about it lately (vs. the seemingly daily bombings/attacks in the troubled Iraqi capital) so maybe it a more attractive option from a pax and crew perspective. Still will be pretty surprised if Basra actually starts before Baghdad does, though.
Flying in the middle seat of coach is much better than not flying at all!
hal9213 From Germany, joined May 2009, 302 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2864 times:
Just a rumor, but I heard that one of the major reasons Baghdad is postponed is protest and lack of acceptance by the EK crew.
Knowing that e.g. in Lagos, EK crew is escorted by heavy security in a sealed vehicle and are not allowed to leave the hotel, I can hardly imagine any of the crew is welcoming any city in Iraq.
But as with any place on earth, things will change over time sooner or later.
jamesontheroad From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2005, 518 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2834 times:
Quoting hal9213 (Reply 10): Just a rumor, but I heard that one of the major reasons Baghdad is postponed is protest and lack of acceptance by the EK crew.
Presumably the flight time / distance from DXB to either city would not necessitate a layover?
There is no need to stay overnight in Basra. The crew will do a simple turnaround. If the airline decides that it is safe to fly, then as a crew you have to go. Thats your job. Period.
sq_ek_freak From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 1583 posts, RR: 21 Reply 13, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2810 times:
Quoting hal9213 (Reply 10): Just a rumor, but I heard that one of the major reasons Baghdad is postponed is protest and lack of acceptance by the EK crew.
Knowing that e.g. in Lagos, EK crew is escorted by heavy security in a sealed vehicle and are not allowed to leave the hotel, I can hardly imagine any of the crew is welcoming any city in Iraq.
But as with any place on earth, things will change over time sooner or later.
True I think this was partly the reason, though I should point out that Baghdad would not have been a layover but rather a turnaround for crew. What you mentioned about Lagos is true though, probably one of the more boring layovers and harder flights to work.
CBPhoto From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 1506 posts, RR: 6 Reply 14, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2781 times:
Quoting AirMale (Reply 12): If the airline decides that it is safe to fly, then as a crew you have to go. Thats your job. Period.
I disagree... Airlines are all about making profits and money and sometimes that can cloud up their judgment. In the end it is your life and you have to make a decision based on that. If an airlines tells you to fly into a war zone, you have the choice to not go. Their might be repercussions, but if something happens it is your life, not the companies!
EK773 From Malta, joined Jul 2004, 217 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 4 hours ago) and read 2730 times:
Quoting hal9213 (Reply 10): protest and lack of acceptance by the EK crew.
Thats kind of hard to justify when the neighbours in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain already had flights in place to Baghdad. I cant imagine that management would accept any protest - if there was any.
sq_ek_freak From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 1583 posts, RR: 21 Reply 16, posted (2 years 6 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 2578 times:
Quoting EK773 (Reply 15):
Thats kind of hard to justify when the neighbours in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain already had flights in place to Baghdad. I cant imagine that management would accept any protest - if there was any.
This is true as well
People should also keep in mind EY and GF fly their narrow bodies on this route whereas EK has none to speak of, so the simple economics of an A330 being overkill for this route might have just been the reason, period.
Flying Belgian From Belgium, joined Jun 2001, 2359 posts, RR: 10 Reply 17, posted (2 years 6 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 2078 times:
Quoting AirGabon (Reply 8): The only European airline to fly non-stop to Baghdad is French airline Aigle Azur flying twice weelky from CDG to Baghdad with A310/A320
Whereas for Aigle Azur, I'm pretty sure they have two sets of crew on board. One for the outbound and one for the inbound. NO foreign crew layover in Iraq at the moment.
SurfandSnow From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 2588 posts, RR: 31 Reply 18, posted (2 years 6 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 2062 times:
Quoting sq_ek_freak (Reply 16): People should also keep in mind EY and GF fly their narrow bodies on this route whereas EK has none to speak of, so the simple economics of an A330 being overkill for this route might have just been the reason, period.
On wikipedia it was said that both EK and LH postponed/abandoned plans to serve BGW due to extremely low demand for the flights (there were links, but they were dead). Wouldn't surprise me though. No airline serving BGW flies anything there close to the size of the A330, and LH was trying to fly a premium jet from its secondary hub. I'm sure Baghdad is mostly a VFR market!
Flying in the middle seat of coach is much better than not flying at all!
Sponsor Message: 
From Canada, joined Aug 2003, 4439 posts, 
From Bermuda, joined Sep 2004, 3266 posts, 
From Malta, joined Sep 2001, 2364 posts, 
From Belgium, joined Jun 2001, 2359 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 18830 posts, 
From United States of America, joined Jan 2009, 2588 posts, 
From Switzerland, joined Dec 2003, 852 posts, 
From Australia, joined Dec 2007, 2346 posts, 
From Germany, joined May 2009, 302 posts, 
From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
