AFP: Saudi plane makes first flight to Iraq in 20 years
BASRA, Iraq A Saudi civil airliner touched down in the main southern Iraqi city of Basra on Thursday on the first such flight between the neighbouring countries since Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The Alwafeer Boeing 747 flew into Basra at 8:15 am (0515 GMT) from the western Saudi city of Jeddah, gateway to the Muslim holy places, but there were no passengers on the incoming flight.
On its return trip, the plane was to carry 450 Iraqis intending to make the lesser pilgrimage, or Omra, to Mecca and Medina.
For years Iraqi pilgrims have had to make the long overland bus journey to the Muslim holy places or pick up a flight to Jeddah in a neighbouring country.
"I am very happy to have landed in Basra airport and to have piloted the first Saudi flight to touch down in Iraq for such a long time," said the plane's captain, Ghassan Hakim.
"The airport is up to Arab and European standards and is fully equipped and serviced," he said.
Basra airport director Abdul Amir Ghanem Abdullah said: "We are very happy with the arrival of this aircraft after a 20-year break."
State carrier Saudi Airlines halted flights to Iraq after Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and never resumed them amid strained relations between Riyadh and Baghdad.
Even since Saddam was removed from power in 2003, the Saudi government has remained cautious about relations with Iraq, and still refuses to reopen its diplomatic mission in Baghdad, citing security issues.
When it launched last September, privately owned Alwafeer focused on charter flights carrying Muslim pilgrims to Jeddah from Niger, Chad, Libya and India before getting government permission to begin flying to and from Iraq.
BASRA, Iraq A Saudi civil airliner touched down in the main southern Iraqi city of Basra on Thursday on the first such flight between the neighbouring countries since Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The Alwafeer Boeing 747 flew into Basra at 8:15 am (0515 GMT) from the western Saudi city of Jeddah, gateway to the Muslim holy places, but there were no passengers on the incoming flight.
On its return trip, the plane was to carry 450 Iraqis intending to make the lesser pilgrimage, or Omra, to Mecca and Medina.
For years Iraqi pilgrims have had to make the long overland bus journey to the Muslim holy places or pick up a flight to Jeddah in a neighbouring country.
"I am very happy to have landed in Basra airport and to have piloted the first Saudi flight to touch down in Iraq for such a long time," said the plane's captain, Ghassan Hakim.
"The airport is up to Arab and European standards and is fully equipped and serviced," he said.
Basra airport director Abdul Amir Ghanem Abdullah said: "We are very happy with the arrival of this aircraft after a 20-year break."
State carrier Saudi Airlines halted flights to Iraq after Saddam's invasion of Kuwait and never resumed them amid strained relations between Riyadh and Baghdad.
Even since Saddam was removed from power in 2003, the Saudi government has remained cautious about relations with Iraq, and still refuses to reopen its diplomatic mission in Baghdad, citing security issues.
When it launched last September, privately owned Alwafeer focused on charter flights carrying Muslim pilgrims to Jeddah from Niger, Chad, Libya and India before getting government permission to begin flying to and from Iraq.
