Menzies Aviation’s joint venture (JV) with Iraqi Airways MASIL has begun cargo operations at Baghdad International Airport.
The JV, which also includes Air BP and the Al Burhan Group, began operations at the airport in January having been awarded an exclusive contract by the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA) for the delivery of a full suite of ground handling, cargo and fuelling services at the airport.
It is the first time that the ICAA has commissioned a foreign aviation services company to undertake the work.
A team of 65 is currently delivering the services at the airport, with customer airlines including Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines, DHL, MNG Airlines, Silk Way Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Egypt Air and flydubai.
Staff have received extensive training, including in including dangerous goods, safety management, security and specialised handling techniques, and MASIL is further seeking to enhance both the safety and the accountability of operations at the airport as part of a long-term strategy.
Menzies Aviation Charles Wyley, EVP Middle East, Asia and Africa said: “We are delighted that our cargo operations have now gone live at Baghdad International Airport, following a lot of hard work and dedication from the MASIL team.
“As we begin to support our cargo customers at Baghdad, we are also delivering against our objective of developing the airport’s operating procedures and training schemes.
“Our cargo manifesto, which sets out our strategy for developing a world-class air cargo facility, will see us sharing our deep experience and knowledge to build a safe, compliant and sustainable cargo operation at Baghdad.”
