SEPTEMBER 1ST FOR COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS?

It will be interesting to see if this happens, and mark it on our PROGRESS scale.

British Airways Plc and Deutsche Lufthansa AG are among more than 20 airlines that have applied to fly in and out of Baghdad International Airport once it opens, the New York Times reported on its Web site.

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines NV is already listing Baghdad in its reservation system with four weekly flights starting Sept. 1 provided it gets approval, the newspaper said. American administrators in Baghdad are expected to initially grant permission to only one or a few airlines to fly in and out of the airport, the newspaper said.