Northwest Apply For Iraq Flights

Northwest Airlines asked federal regulators for permission to begin air service to Iraq, the first major US carrier to seek such authority since the end of the war. Northwest Airlines said its proposal, if approved, would “help to establish a commercial relationship between the United States and Iraq that has been dormant for well over a decade.”

The airline envisioned serving Iraq in partnership with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, with which it has a marketing alliance. In the application, Northwest didn’t specify how many flights to Iraq it would operate. The carrier said its initial service “may change depending on market conditions.” Two smaller carriers – World Airways and North American Airlines – also have applied for permission.