Here is the link

This makes little sense to me. Karachi (and Pakistan in general) has been cut from many European airlines' routes with citations of "security" concerns. Is Baghdad now safer than Pakistani cities?!

_________________

Maybe they did pull out due to low yeilds after all.

_________________
Shame on PIA chairman, managing director, board of directors, staff, designers and all others related to the new livery, who have contributed to further ruination of this once prestigious airlines image.

Well it is true, I try to e-mail the article when I saw it at work on our company site but for some technical reason I could not do so. Also there was no printer available at that workstation. I was going to forward it from home because at work I do not have regular internet access.

_________________
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320

Recent update as per Lufthansa website:

Lufthansa to resume flights to Iraq in April.


New service between Frankfurt and Erbil
After a 20-year break, Lufthansa will resume flights to Iraq. On 25 April 2010, Germany’s leading airline will launch services from Frankfurt to the city of Erbil in Northern Iraq. Lufthansa customers will have a choice of four flights per week on this new route. Lufthansa will operate the four-and-a-half hour flight with an Airbus A319 with 132 seats in Business and Economy Class.

With the resumption of flights to Iraq, Lufthansa is continuing to expand its route network in the Middle East and will then offer 100 flights per week to 15 destinations in twelve countries. Erbil has been served since 2006 from Vienna by Austrian Airlines, which flies under the Lufthansa Group banner. This flight is operated on a codeshare basis with Lufthansa, thereby offering customers of both airlines a choice of nine flights per week to Erbil.

The demand for flights to Iraq is growing amid signs of an economic recovery and foreign investment. With a population of one million, Erbil (also written Arbil), is the fourth-largest city in Iraq and has a rich history spanning thousands of years. The economy in this region is growing vigorously. Numerous diplomatic and commercial representations, organisations and foreign companies have been set up in Northern Iraq. Erbil International Airport has recently been expanded and offers a modern passenger terminal.

For more information and flight reservations, please visit the Lufthansa website at http://www.lufthansa.com or contact the Lufthansa Call Center on 01805 805 805 (calls cost 14 euro cents per minute), Lufthansa-designated travel agencies or Lufthansa sales counters at airports.

Lufthansa also plans still intends to resume flights to the Iraqi capital Baghdad this year and is currently making the necessary preparations to do so.

The new route at a glance


Frankfurt – Erbil (Iraq)

Airports/Three-letter-code/ Time zone (summer) Frankfurt, Terminal 1 (FRA); UTC + 2 hrs
Erbil International Airport (EBL); UTC + 3 hrs
Schedule(all times are local times; summer time) NEW from 25 April 2010
Flights operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays
LH 696 Frankfurt 10:15 hrs – Erbil 15:40 hrs
LH 697 Erbil 16:45 hrs – Frankfurt 20:25 hrs
Flight duration
(average) Frankfurt – Erbil: 4:25 hours
Erbil – Frankfurt: 4:40 hours
Distance 3,209 km/1,994 miles
Aircraft type Airbus A319


Deutsche Lufthansa AG
Corporate Communications

_________________
Salem Aziz

GF: A340, B767 AA: AB6 KU: B772 ER, AB6, A320 LH: B744, A343 EK: A345, B772, A332 PK: B74M, B743, B772 MH: A330 E4: DC9 QR: B77W, A332. PA: A320