Travel
French airline makes historic Iraq landing
- From: AFP
- October 31, 2010
Aigle Azur has begun the first direct commercial flights from Paris to Baghdad for 20 years / AFP Source: AFP
A PLANE operated by France's Aigle Azur landed in Baghdad today, becoming the first flight from a European airline to arrive in the city since a 1990 international embargo on Iraq.
The Airbus A319 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport touched down at 6am local time (2pm AEDT) carrying on board France's Trade Minister Anne-Marie Idrac and 111 passengers, including 40 French businessmen, officials said.
Commercial flights between the two capitals were previously operated by national carrier Air France, but suspended after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990.
Sunday's arrival comes amid hopes of boosting historically close business links between France and Iraq.
Aigle Azur, owned by the Franco-Algerian Idjerouidene family, will from early 2011 offer two flights a week from Charles de Gaulle, Europe's second busiest air hub after London Heathrow.
