Basrah flying
Well, to shed some light on the flying to Basrah, I've just got back from doing my first trip, and am busy proudly showing off my Basrah stamp in my passport. No insurance company is ever going to let an airline fly in unless they are 100% happy with the arrangements, insurance companies are the experts in judging risks. Having chatted to the RAF team at Basrah airport, there has never been any incident with a civilian aircraft flying into Basrah, the stories about bullet holes are just stories I'm afraid. Yes, it's different landing with all the lights out, but to be honest, it was all a bit of an anticlimax. Basrah airport is efficient, the RAF crews are really friendly, and grateful for any spare papers, milk, chocolate etc and the passengers are about as well behaved as it's possible to get. The flights to Akrotiri are short and trouble free. Regards the DHL freighter, remember that was Baghdad bound. Comparing Baghdad and Basra is like comparing Belfast at the height of the troubles to Cork, same bit of land, but a world apart. The soldiers we were chatting to were saying that the area is pretty trouble free.
It's a pity that some of the people who have made the most noise about this topic hadn't actually spoken to people within their company who had actually done the flight and could answer their questions. It's certainly one of the easiest three day trips I've ever done.