subject2load

Not sure if this development has already been covered, but I could find no specific mention on the EK forum.

The Times (London) has reported that Emirates will stop flying over Iraq after concerns about the missile threat posed by Islamist militants on the ground.

Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said he believed that other carriers would follow suit, as the airline industry began a review of the way it assessed the risk of flying over conflict zones after the Malaysia Airlines disaster in Ukraine. The loss of Flight MH17 was attributed to a surface-to-air missile fired by pro-Russian separatists.

The Emirates move is expected to add 45 minutes on its flight times from London to Dubai.

Sir Tim adds that he is "beside himself with rage" at the MH17 incident, but "from out of this ghastly hideous murder - if we are going to get anything out of it - it is that the airline community are minded to try to improve what they do."

Meanwhile the Financial Times says another after effect of the Ukraine crash is that insurers are "reviewing" cover with a "threefold" increase in war cover in some cases.

Some insurers, the FT adds are demanding flight path details and considering withdrawing any cover for flights over "hotspots".

KARFA

I have been watching the comments from Tim Clark with interest ever since MH17. Based on his comments you would think that flights over the last 70 years have never flown over war zones or trouble areas, and that no civilian plane has ever been shot down before in error. Now with this change to not fly over Iraq it just adds fire to the flames of ill informed comments elsewhere in the media and every other operator will face questions of why they don't re-route away from Iraq. Iraq is not even comparable to Ukraine - none of the forces in Iraq are shooting down any planes so it isn't like Ukraine where the rebels have a track record of shooting down Ukrainian forces aircraft.

If you don't fly over Iraq, shouldnt you avoid Syria? Libya? Israel/Palastine? Where is reason kick in to it?

LFCorsten

Tomorrow is the meeting in Canada. Airline heads meet to discuss how to handle routings over warzones future. This was an initiative of Tim Clark.

dddc

If this is the case and 45mins is added to LHR-DXB flights, what happens to those with connections? What's the MCT at DXB? I have a flight via DXB with a 2h30 min connection which would now be 1h45 - assuming that the flight departs on time. Could I transfer onto an earlier flight? (Not that I really want to if I don't have to).

KARFA

So if the meeting is tomorrow why pre-empt it by declaring Iraq unsafe today before they have discussed whatever criteria the industry wants to use going forward to determine no fly areas?

kuroko

But there isn't an official statement from EK so far regarding the change to not fly over Iraq.

KARFA

There is as reported elsewhere

http://www.businesstraveller.com/new...ying-over-iraq

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28524628

http://www.smh.com.au/business/aviat...728-zxn5l.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/n...sile-risk.html

LE4603

I'm guessing this won't include flights to the Iraq airports.... otherwise its going to be a long connection coach journey!

sts603

What about flights into Iraq (Erbil, Baghdad)?

warakorn

You are right - you have enough "extremists" in Iraq who would love to shoot down a Western airliner if they had the weapon for.

In the Ukraine it was "allegedly" different. Its only assumptions, but I don't think that the people's militia in Eastern Ukraine wanted to shoot down this Malaysian airliner intentionally.

Do not forget. Assad had many Russian-made weapons (probably including some anti-aircraft missiles). ISIS might have captured some.

Havoc10G

That is fair comment. The Syrians do have some more sophisticated soviet kit eg the SA-11(buk) radar targeted and above. Not sure rebels can easily operate but better safe than sorry.

Xlr

EK has experience flying during times of war - they kept flying during the Gulf War for example. I think they changed routes then, as well.

There have been reports that ISIS and company have captured military equipment that was supplied to the Iraqi army by the US. They could have captured Russian-made equipment from the Syria as well.

... also, this probably keeps their insurance premiums down.

As for their Iraq flights - Baghdad is actually safe for now, not sure about Erbil. But it does raise a consistency question.

callum9999

If Tim Clark feels that flying over Iraq is unsafe, then he feels it's unsafe. I hardly see how other airlines deciding it isn't could possibly change his mind?

As to Iraq not being like Ukraine, no, it's not. But then Ukraine wasn't either last year. While I agree he's being a bit over cautious, I don't think it's overly ridiculous to take protective measures before one of your planes are shot down instead of waiting until after it happens.

Zol

EK has stopped flying over Syria for some time, I believe it to be over 9 months now

go_around

I am vindicated!

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emira...territory.html