Virgin to fly aid to Iraq

Virgin wants to fly daily to Iraq

Virgin Atlantic is to begin flying relief supplies to Iraq ahead of introducing scheduled services to Baghdad.

The first few flights to Iraq's capital will be humanitarian ones delivering doctors, nurses and much-needed aid and supplies, Sir Richard Branson announced.

"We're working with aid agencies and hope to operate flights as soon as we can," he said.

UK aid agencies have reported law and order has been improving in Iraq in the last few days allowing their workers to increase the humanitarian effort.

But in Baghdad aid workers have had to cope with looting and lawlessness and lack of water and electricity supplies in the wake of the bombing campaign.

On Wednesday most Baghdad residents were said to have access to water supplies and work was under way to restore electricity supplies cut at the beginning of the month.

Virgin wants to fly daily to the capital

Daily demonstrations have taken place in the capital calling on US marines to do more to restore law and order.

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) has also warned that malnutrition is a major concern given that one in four children were already malnourished before the war.

Sir Richard said the scheduled flights would go towards helping in the country's reconstruction in the wake of the US-led invasion.

"Flights to and from Baghdad will be a key element in helping Iraq's long-term regeneration, and reuniting families who have been separated for many years," he continued.

A Virgin spokesman said the airline hoped to operate at least three or four scheduled flights a week to Iraq.

"There is a huge pent-up desire by Iraqis to fly and ideally we would like to offer daily services."

The airline has suspended flights to Iraq since the last Gulf War.

In 1990 it operated aid flights as well as a hostage-release flight from Baghdad.