Work-Shy

I have been used to some circuitous detours between Europe and the Gulf following the MH17 tragedy and the public declaration by airlines to avoid overflight of Iraqi airspace (presumably due to a perceived threat of surface to air missiles from ISIS militants).

However, I was checking on the progress of a flight on FlightRadar24 and was surprised to see the following QR flights overflying Iraq (not just skirting the border, but flying between Basra and Baghdad) at 0757 UTC:

QR103 to Geneva
QR183 to Vienna
QR239 to Istanbul

Every other airline flying between the Gulf and Europe appears to be diligently avoiding Iraq. The only other flights visible on FlightRadar24 in Iraqi airspace originate or terminate in Iraq (so have no choice but to fly in Iraqi airspace).

I am curious why QR are happily overflying Iraq while other airlines appear to be actively avoiding it. Does anyone have any insight?

purple1addict

I've also noticed over the past few days that some QR flights (Vienna, Milan) are flying regularly over Iraq, whereas QR flights to other European destinations don't seem to be. Very strange pattern!

None of the other major carriers heading to/from Europe seem to be overflying Iraq so has QR just quietly decided it is now safe to do so...? But only if you're travelling to Italy, Austria, Switzerland or Turkey?!

Saltire74

I'm not too sure if I read somewhere before that FR24 doesn't have coverage everywhere and so the plotted flight route is sometimes shown as the most direct if they do not have the exact data. I also seem to recall something about the ability of the aircraft that sends the data in that it always doesn't send it......or something like that.

I know from looking before when watching flight from LHR to HKG they disappear when overflying parts of China and later it will show the 'perceived route'.

I don't think they would overfly on some routes and not others but I may be totally wrong.

Safe & Happy travels

S

Work-Shy

I posed the question on PPRuNe and got the following responses:

http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/55...rfly-iraq.html

So it does appear QR do deem it safe above FL320 (yet some flights (widebody?) still actively avoid Iraqi airspace). For me, such inconsistency is massively uncomfortable and difficult to comprehend.

Work-Shy

Further update from PPRuNe:

"Qatar has elected to allow operations over Iraq for all freighters and flights to specific European destinations (other destinations still avoid Iraq overflight). Minimum altitude FL320.

Crimea still restricted".

http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/55...rfly-iraq.html

Does anyone find this inconsistency deeply alarming? Are people flying to/from Geneva, for example, more "expendable" than those flying to/from London?

QatarA340

I personally do not think they fly over Iraq but some European destinations are served with A320 and rerouting them from Iraq may have some weight and performance penalties.

Work-Shy

You can see for yourself on a daily basis that some QR flights DO overfly Iraq on Flightradar24.

Furthermore, several contributors to the PPRuNe thread clearly state that QR deem Iraqi airspace safe above FL320 and route some flights over Iraq to specific destinations.

I would hope the potential 'penalty' of being shot out of the sky by an IS lunatic outweighs any weight/performance penalty when it comes to planning a flight. I don't see QR trumpeting their (selective) return to overflying Iraq in the same way they publicized its avoidance last summer:

http://dohanews.co/qatar-airways-joi...raqi-airspace/

Work-Shy

copenhagenBA

This isnt what you expect from a major airline. Seems more flights over Iraq today.. Very very disappointing. I would like to change my flight to another airline. How can we complain?

sciuritiddu

any news?any official statement from qr?
I'm going to fly milan-doha next february, and I feel really uncomfortable knowing that my flight will pass over iraq

Work-Shy

No news (other than continued daily flights directly over Irag) or official statement. Honestly, I am not expecting QR to actively publicize their random decision. I don't blame you for feeling uncomfortable...

QatarA340

I saw Emirates, Lufthansa, and Eihad flying over Iraq also .

Andy49

I just read this on BBC

Flights between the United Arab Emirates and Baghdad have been suspended after a FlyDubai aircraft was hit by gunfire as it approached the Iraqi capital. No-one was injured in the attack, the budget carrier said. Etihad and Emirates have also suspended their services to Baghdad as a precaution.

emma dog

The Wall Street Journal posted anarticle today about a Fly Dubai plane that was shot at after landings in Baghdad. It also mentioned most airlines are avoiding flying over Iraqi airspace ( http://www.wsj.com/articles/shots-fi...WhatsNewsForth).

I think it may be a good place to comment clarifying the increasing number of flights by QR and others.

sciuritiddu

I've called qr call center, they told me flight milan-doha won't fly over iraq, it will pass over egypt and the saudi arabia before enter in qatar

Steve_ZA

That's not what has been happening lately:
http://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/qr122#5648d9b
http://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/qr120#563c5aa