Shots fired at FlyDubai plane in Baghdad

[1stspotter]

A Dutch reporter with good connections in the Middle East reports that at least two aircraft were shot at near Baghdad Airport by IS troops.
Likely while landing. One was a Iraqi Airways B747-400. The aircraft departed Malaysia and was on approach for Baghad airport when it was hit 5 times. Because the fuel tanks were not full the tanks did not exploded. Was the aircraft hit at departure it could be much worse.
The Boeing 747-400 was grounded at Baghdad since the incident at August 24.

The other shooting was also an Iraqi Airways aircraft on August 26.

According a former Iraqi Airways pilot she spoke to, shootings happen weekly.

Anyone can confirm this? Iraqi government does not want to make this public. They only communicate about successes in the battle against IS.
Do we have to wait for another aircraft to crash before something is done?

CBS reports IS has MANPADS
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-within-8-miles-of-baghdad-airport-and-armed-with-manpads/

[darkroomsource]

Because the fuel tanks were not full the tanks did not exploded. Was the aircraft hit at departure it could be much worse.

Huh?
A full tank is more likely to explode than a partially empty one?
Doesn't a partially empty tank have more fumes in it?
And, aren't the fumes the explosive bit?
And, doesn't it depend on what they're shooting?
If they're shooting bullets, there's not much chance of blowing up a fuel tank. But if they're shooting explosive ordinance, it wouldn't matter much how much fuel is in the tanks, there would be an explosion.

[1stspotter]

This is what the journalist said. And maybe she got that info from the former Iraqi Airways pilot.

[Avid Aviator]

Anyone can confirm this?
No, I can't confirm or refute this allegation.

However, based on the technically incorrect "lucky the tanks were not full so didn't explode" explanation, I'd say that report is not credible at all.

Move on....

[Airmann]

To be able.to shoot bullets at a pax aircraft you would reallistically need the aircraft to be at or below around 3000ft AGL. And even then you would have to be a pretty good shot. 3000 feet corresponds to around 9 miles on a 3 degree glide. Assuming the pilots level off for any ammount of time approx. 6 miles that means the IS guys would have to be within 15 miles of Baghdad airport, to take a realistic shot at the aircraft. The question is, are they that close? Any way I just made those numbers up I don't really remember the platform alts at baghdad.

[RoyalEnfield]

Some reports say ISIS is about 8 miles from Baghdad airport now.

ISIS attack on Baghdad Airport thwarted by US helicopters says US General Dempsey - Iraqi News (http://www.iraqinews.com/iraq-war/isis-attack-baghdad-airport-thwarted-us-helicopters-says-us-general-dempsey/)

ISIS within 8 miles of Baghdad airport, and armed with MANPADs - CBS News (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-within-8-miles-of-baghdad-airport-and-armed-with-manpads/)

[1stspotter]

However, based on the technically incorrect "lucky the tanks were not full so didn't explode" explanation, I'd say that report is not credible at all.

Move on....

Amazing you discredit a story from a journalist because some parts are technically not correct.

Please take some minutes to study the situation: IS is close to the airport. IS is not very friendly to its enemies. The have all kinds of weapons. The US needed Apache helicopters to defend the airport.

Iraqi government is not known for being open en transparent. Not many airlines operating into Baghdad at the moment, so hard to verify.

[CamelRustler]

I would almost guarantee that shooting down an airliner is on the ISIS to do list. The fact that the UAE has joined the fight makes EK and Fly Dubai targets. If they wish to continue to fly there do it in all white plane. (I noticed a few sitting over by the hanger.) Also, Bagdad and Kabul should require an expression of interest form and pay $500 more for hazard pay. My life insurance will not pay my loved ones if something happens as these are both considered war zones. Will EK pick up the difference? Hallas. Not to worry, guys we've checked the performance on the 343 and if you turn off the packs and galleys, move everyone to the back of the plane, use TOGA thrust while you stand on the brakes, hand fly the engine out SID because the autopilot is too stupid to bank enough to miss the mountain. (Please be careful not to bank too much as this would affect your vertical component of lift, and you would also hit the mountain.) We are almost certain you will make the 14,000 foot engine out crossing restriction safely. Also, kindly note, do not do this more than 5 minutes before scheduled departure as it would be very inconvenient to those of us in DXB. As I am sure you noticed, we placed the full set of instructions somewhere in your new flight bag.

[MrMachfivepointfive]

Amazing you discredit a story from a journalist because some parts are technically not correct.


Just to add my five pence worth: Whenever I read an article or watch a news clip about a topic that I know something about or was directly involved in, the content is 95%+ garbage. Even from 'respected' sources like CNN, BBC, Der Spiegel, the NYT or Washington Post.

I am allowing myself to extrapolate that the content has the same 5% accuracy value when it is about events or topics I have no clue about.

[1stspotter]

I am also very cautious about news which is not in the MSM. In this case I asked the journalist some details. The source is reliable and known to the journalist for quite some time.

YI-ASA was the aircraft hit on August 24. It flew KUL to Baghdad.
I was told : cut the oil duct and hit the central fuel tank during final approach for landing from Abu Ghraib area, North West from Airport.

An Iraqi B767 reported fireballs thrown at him on August 26.

And I believe there was a third case of shooting.

[1stspotter]

New York times had an article about safety.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/world/middleeast/missiles-of-isis-may-pose-peril-for-aircrews.html?_r=1

“We’re very sure that Baghdad International Airport is safe for departure and for arrival,” said Capt. Saad M. Saeed, the general director of Iraqi Airways, Iraq’s national carrier. “I’m a pilot. If I know there’s one-in-a-million chance, I won’t take the risk.”

Yet in August, an Iraqi Airways captain told colleagues that his plane had been hit by gunfire as it approached the airport from the north, a route that would have passed over the restive Sunni district of Abu Ghraib. The plane, which landed safely, was hit by at least two bullets, according to two Iraqi Airways pilots who said they had been told about the shooting.

Ali al-Bayati, deputy director of Iraqi Airways, denied that such an event had occurred. Rumors, he said, were part of the Islamic State’s arsenal. “Considering that the airport is a very high-value target for them,” he said, “they’re spreading a lot of rumors.”

[dirk85]

BREAKING: Shots fired at passenger plane at Baghdad airport | Al Bawaba (http://www.albawaba.com/news/breaking-shots-fired-passenger-plane-baghdad-airport-649112)

[Capn Rex Havoc]

Never would have seen that as a possibility? Who would have thought?:ugh:

I see EK have cancelled flights to BGW now.

Erbil? Basrah? No, no risk there.

[SOPS]

How could that possibly happen?:ugh:

[Kamelchaser]

They're only expendable crew right? Money is more important. Same as with rocket attacks into Kabul airport. Let's keep going there until people are killed.

[haveago]

Its ridiculous! We all know there are serious safety concerns flying into these airports! Our Management know it too. Does it honestly take someone getting killed before they accept this! F--k the money EK, FlyDubai and any other airline that thinks it acceptable to put their crew at this level of risk!
Basra, Erbil, Kabul, Peshawa and other airports all have these unacceptable dangers. STOP FLYING to these destinations now before someone is killed!

[what-to-do]

Apparently, multiple bullets hit the aircraft, resulting in two passengers being rushed to hospital...... Still think FZ insurance/ death in service cover is adequate?

This now vindicates what pilots at FZ have been saying for the last few years. This has been on the cards ever since we started flying into these destinations and I'm just surprised that it hasn't happened sooner or more often.

Time to re-assess.....:mad:

[Spoogie]

"The safety of our Crew and Passengers will never be compromised!!! Our security department is constantly reviewing threats at our various destinations" (thats our sister company).

They have known about the instability for years. However the calculated risk was minimal....until our sister company "bites the bullet" (pun intended)

Come on management... you sit behind your desk and read security reports. Please stop putting us in harms way. People could lose their life......

[glofish]

People could lose their life......

Yeah, but managers could lose some bonus!
In this region a choice quickly made .....

[fatbus]

It's all about the greed

[donpizmeov]

Did she lie when she said it's "all about that bass"? Hate it when she lies.

[1stspotter]

As usual first an accident needs to be published before people believe these kind of incidents. Very sad.
Yesterday a FlyDubai aircraft was shot at while landing at Bagdad airport.

BREAKING: Shots fired at passenger plane at Baghdad airport | Al Bawaba (http://www.albawaba.com/news/breaking-shots-fired-passenger-plane-baghdad-airport-649112)

According to the news site's Arabic channel, eight shots were fired into the small plane, injuring at least two passengers and grounding a flight that was scheduled to fly into Baghdad later Monday night from Amman, Jordan.

http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/555396-shots-fired-flydubai-plane-baghdad.html

[1stspotter]

I warned about the safety situation at Bagdad in Oktober 2014. Two near Bagdad, both Iraqi Airways.
Authorities wanted to keep these incidents quiet. Luckily no deaths in this incident. Hope aviation industry will not take safety serious and not think about money first.

http://www.pprune.org/middle-east/549687-aircraft-shoot-baghdad.html#post8841529

[1stspotter]

Emirates, Etihad, FlyDubai and likely Air Arabia cancelled all flights to Bagdad. Emirates continues flights to other destinations in Iraq. I know of at least one incident in Erbil in 2014.
Flydubai flight shot at in Baghdad; Emirates, Etihad suspend services - Emirates 24/7 (http://www.emirates247.com/news/emirates/flydubai-flight-shot-at-in-baghdad-emirates-etihad-suspend-services-2015-01-27-1.578289)

This is a photo taken from inside the aircraft showing a bullet hole.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B8TwYpvIAAAwRVV.jpg:large
Several shots were fired as the plane was landing, ~4 bullets hit the plane, injuries appear to be minor.

[Bokkenrijder]

...but remember boys and girls: always make that go-around if you're a few knots fast or a few feet too high at 500' even if you have a 3500m dry runway in front of you, because safety come first!

Flying into these places and then hearing a chief pilot tell pilots that "safety comes first" once again proves that flight data monitoring has only become a totalitarian mobbing tool, nothing more. :ugh:

And the authorities? They are busy looking at the ceiling and whistling some song, worried about losing airline managers as their favorite golfing partner.

p.s. I'm talking about aviation in general, not particularly about one specific company.

[Khozai737]

I'd say only safe airports in Iraq are basrah, najaf and suleymania.

[1stspotter]

MEA also announced it stopped operating to Bagdad.
MEA, other airlines suspend Baghdad flights after shooting | News , Lebanon News | THE DAILY STAR (http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Jan-27/285463-emirates-suspends-baghdad-flights-after-shooting-involving-flydubai.ashx)

Turkish Airlines TK802 flight of this morning was cancelled.
Royal Jordanian RJ810 was also cancelled

[Moony123]

Emirates, Etihad, FlyDubai and likely Air Arabia cancelled all flights to Bagdad. Emirates continues flights to other destinations in Iraq.

So does the nameless one. Erbil and Basra.

Remember, our safety comes first. That is why they proactively cancel flights.....after another company has had one riddled with bullets.....and the GCAA tells them to stop flying there.

Yep.

[sunbird123]

I bet the management pilots did all the flights into the dangerous areas.

[ruserious]

Flights from UAE to Baghdad suspended after Flydubai aircraft hit by gunfire (http://7daysindubai.com/flights-uae-baghdad-suspended-flydubai-aircraft-hit-gunfire/)


Flights from the UAE to Baghdad have been suspended with immediate effect after a Flydubai aircraft was hit by small arms fire as it landed in the Iraqi capital.

The incident took place on Monday when the Dubai to Baghdad flight came in to land, Flydubai confirmed.

Emirates and Etihad said on Tuesday morning that all flights have been suspended due to “safety concerns”.

Local media reported that a sniper had fired on the aircraft on Monday night and that Baghdad Airport was shut down following the incident.

Local media reported that a child passenger had been injured but Flydubai said no passengers required medical attention.

Flydubai said bullet holes were discovered in the fuselage.

The statement said: “After landing at Baghdad International Airport (BGW) on 26 January 2015, damage to the aircraft fuselage consistent with small arms fire was discovered on Flydubai flight FZ 215.

“All the passengers disembarked normally through the jet bridge. No medical attention was required at the airport. Passengers from Baghdad to Dubai were accommodated on a replacement aircraft. An investigation is underway to establish what happened.”

An Emirates spokeswoman said: “Emirates can confirm that we are suspending our flights to and from Baghdad due to operational and safety concerns. This took effect from 26 January until further notice.

“Our services to other points in Iraq – Erbil and Basra continue to operate as scheduled. We remain committed to our customers in Iraq and hope to resume services to Baghdad as soon as operational conditions allow us to do so.

“Our customer service team is contacting affected customers to assist them with making alternative travel arrangements. We apologise for any inconvenience caused. Customers can also check emirates.com for the latest flight status.”

Etihad said the decision had been taken following a ban by the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority on Monday.

A statement on Etihad’s website said: “To comply with the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority ban on operation to and from Baghdad on security grounds, Etihad Airways has suspended all flights to the Iraqi city with immediate effect and until further notice.

“The safety of our customers and employees is always our first priority. We will continue to work closely with the authorities and monitor the security situation before recommencing scheduled services to Baghdad.”

Etihad said that cancellations and refunds are being offered.

[Dropp the Pilot]

But Erbil and Kabul are just fine, just fine...

[lowstandard]

I guess that is what $ir TC means by keeping on top of the security in these places. Send in Fly Dubai and if they don't get shot up, in ek goes.

I'm sure they will find a way to pin blame on the crew... "Why did you accept the flightplan we gave you?"

I bet they just increased the fares to EBL and BSR as well.

Crisis = Opportunity = $$

[fatbus]

Funny how it takes a serious event to occur to Cnx flights , but they claim they are on top of the situation .

[Payscale]

Allegedly it was just a wedding. All is forgiven. Congratulation to the bride and groom on their new matching AK74's

[crewmeal]

And Iraqi Airways are planning flights to Manchester from Baggers!

Plans for first non-stop flights from Manchester to Iraq - Manchester Evening News (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/plans-first-non-stop-flights-manchester-8500041)

[Wingsoffury]

airliners have been shot down in the past.. very recent past too, they are still operating today… its business… if it happens to a middle eastern carrier, which it has a while ago, the chances are they will take a blow but pull the bodies out, and continue making money..

[High Energy]

What annoys me is this sentence;
"According to the news site's Arabic channel, eight shots were fired into the small plane".

I love it how this region looses all sense of perception and only Big, Bigger, Biggest counts. It's a bloody 79 tonne aircraft carrying 189 passengers. Everywhere in the normal world it's a reputable aircraft but here it's deemed too 'small'.

Reminds me of a passenger I met in this region that didn't want to fly on the regional aircraft I was flying because it was too small. (E190 flying the same speed and altitudes) I met him when he got of and he thanked me for one of the best flights of his life... :ugh:

I guess if you can't put your fridge in the overhead locker the plane's too small... :sad:

[fliion]

New York Times reporting three Americans killed in Kabul airport this morning by an Afghan soldier.

f.

[lowstandard]

Apparently it happened on the military side of the airfield. Since the civilian side is more secure than the ISAF base, its totally safe. Now get out there and make it rain for daddy!!

[mooseknuckles]

3 US contractors killed in shooting at Kabul airport - Middle East - Stripes (http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/3-us-contractors-killed-in-shooting-at-kabul-airport-1.326553)