Why is it so expensive to fly to Iraq?

the demand for flights to Iraq is such that economies of scale are not operational, or nearly so.

Like the US embassy in Kabul, Baghdad's airport is a high-risk target. Lying at the end of a once treacherous seven-mile stretch of road known as "Route Irish," the airport is a hub for visiting dignitaries, press, contractors, and many others transiting to or from Baghdad. (In the past, the airport and its environs have been a frequent target for rocket and mortar attacks.) Though the security situation in Iraq has vastly improved, this is not the type of place where you can afford to take chances. Perhaps ArmorGroup has convinced Iraqi officials that it's up to the job. Or has the Iraqi government seriously overlooked the baggage of its new airport security provider?

By Daniel Schulman
| Tue Nov. 17, 2009 5:00 AM PST.It's considered one of the most dangerous airports in the world, and starting soon Baghdad International will be under the protection of the same private security empire whose embassy guards in Kabul engaged in a range of misconduct and drunken hazing rituals, including those now infamous vodka buttshots. Recently, Iraq's governing council selected ArmorGroup to take over airport security, replacing a company called Sabre International, which has held the contract for the past year.

The security contract is worth $22.5 million, according to Agence France Presse, and comes a little over two months after the Project on Government Oversight exposed a pattern of misbehavior by ArmorGroup employees protecting the US Embassy in Kabul under a $189 million State Department contract. The controversy led to the firings of more than a dozen ArmorGroup personnel, prompted an ongoing investigation by the State Department's Inspector General, and could eventually end up costing the company the embassy contract

Feb 5, 2010 Henk Bekker


Non-Stop Flights from Western Europe to Erbil Airport (EBL) in Iraq
The largest number of commercial flights from Western Europe to Iraq currently goes Erbil International Airport (EBL) outside Erbil (sometimes written Arbil or Irbil) in Iraqi Kurdistan. Flights to Erbil are not particularly cheap but an increase in competition is helping to force prices down.

Austrian Airlines (OS) is currently the most convenient European airline to use to Erbil. Austrian Airlines flies three times per week non-stop from Vienna (VIE) to Erbil (EBL). In contrast to Viking Airlines and Air Berlin, bookings for Austrian Airlines flights to Iraq can be made through any regular air ticket reservation service. Furthermore, Austrian Airlines offers guaranteed connections through it hub in Vienna and, as a subsidiary of Lufthansa, allows connecting flights to several hundred destinations worldwide.

Swedish carrier Viking Airlines (4P/VIK) flies from Stockholm-Arlanda Airport (ARN), Gothenburg-Landvetter (GOT), and Malmo-Sturup (MMX) to Erbil (EBL) in Iraq. Viking Airlines offers guaranteed through connections to Erbil via Sweden from Birmingham (BHX) and London-Gatwick (LGW) in the United Kingdom. The Viking Airlines flights from Stockholm to Erbil are weekly while other flights are scheduled only a few times per month. A subsidiary airline, Viking Hellas (VQ), has started weekly flights from Athens (ATH) in Greece to Erbil (EBL).

German low-cost airline Air Berlin (AB) has started flights from Munich (München / MUC) to Erbil on a trial basis. Connecting Air Berlin flights are currently only available from Berlin (TXL), Düsseldorf (DUS) and Hamburg (HAM). Air Berlin intends to increase the number of flights from summer 2010.



Read more at Suite101: Direct Non-Stop Flights from West Europe to Iraq: Fly to Erbil (EBL), Sulaimaniyah (ISU), and Baghdad (SDA) Airports http://iraq-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/direct-non-stop-flights-from-west-europe-to-iraq#ixzz0h4UvuZSb

I want to go to Iraq because my brother and a good friend are currently there. Your suggestion that it's about the ads is, well, typically dull of you.