"العراق والخليج الفارسي" [ظ‎‎٣‎٨‎٩] (٨٦٢/٧٨١)

6io
COMMUNICATIONS
CIVIL AVIATION
Iraq in normal times is on the air route between Western Europe and
India, Australia, and the Far East. The pioneers of the route were
British and the route was opened in sections. Early in 1919 the first
reconnaissances were made between Baghdad and Damascus and
between Baghdad and Lake Tiberias. Alternative routes were
examined on the ground by car, and in 1920 the selected line was
marked across the desert by a shallow trench cut by motor-plough;
but it was not until January 1927 that the first regular air-service from
Britain to Baghdad was opened. Early in 1928 the first mails by air
were carried to India.
In 1939 there were six foreign companies operating on the air-
routes to or through Iraq.
(1) Imperial Airways (British)
(a) Southampton to Singapore: Tiberias (Palestine)-Habbaniya-
Basra-Bahrein (Persian Gulf)-Karachi (India). Three times
weekly with sea-planes.
(b) Southampton to Calcutta: Lydda (Palestine)-Baghdad-Bahrein
(Persian Gulf)-Karachi. Twice weekly by land-planes between
Alexandria and Calcutta.
(2) K.L.M. (Dutch)
Amsterdam to Bandoeng (N.E.I.): Lydda (Palestine)-Baghdad-
Basra (-Bushire)-Jask-Karachi. Three times weekly with land-
planes.
(3) Ala Littoria, S.A. (Italian)
Rome to Basra: Haifa (Palestine)-Baghdad-Basra. Three times
weekly with land-planes.
(4) Misr Airwork S.A.E. (Egyptian)
Cairo to Baghdad, via Lydda (Palestine). Twice weekly with land-
planes.
(5) Air France (French)
Marseilles to Bangkok: Damascus (Syria)-Baghdad-Bushire-Jask-
Karachi. Twice weekly with land-planes.
(6) Deutsche Lufthansa (German)
Berlin to Baghdad: a weekly service via Athens.