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[Marmot]

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Souring diplomatic relations between Canada and the United Arab Emirates on Monday forced a military flight carrying Canada’s top defence brass on a six-hour detour to Rome.

A quarrel over landing rights in Canada for the UAE’s two national carriers and the use of a logistics base in Dubai that supports Canadian combat operations in landlocked Afghanistan escalated sharply when a C-17 jumbo transport carrying Defence Minister Peter MacKay, General Walter Natynczyk and Veterans Affairs Minister Jean-Pierre Blackburn was denied the right to land and ordered to stay clear of UAE airspace.

According to a senior military source, the $250 million transport, which left Kandahar at dusk on Monday, was diverted to Europe, where it is expected to land in Rome late Monday or early Tuesday.

"No explanation for the refusal to land was given." the senior officer said.

Before leaving Kandahar on Monday, MacKay gave no indication his flight was not to be allowed to land in Dubai. However, he acknowledged that relations between the two countries had been "frosty" when he passed through the sheikdom on his way to Afghanistan on Thursday.

"We will abide by the wishes of the Emirates and that is that. We will be leaving the base," MacKay said at the end of his three-day trip to Kabul and Kandahar, referring to the not-so-secret Camp Mirage, used as a staging ground for the Canadian Forces mission in Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, MacKay appeared to extend an olive branch to the UAE before boarding his aircraft.

"We are very grateful for what the United Arab Emirates has allowed us to do in their country," MacKay said. "They have been very supportive of the Canadian mission writ large and for that we thank them."

The increasingly acrimonious dispute pits the world’s second largest country against a tiny, but immensely wealthy Gulf sheikdom whose ambition is to create two of the world’s largest airlines. The argument arose when the UAE requested that Canada allow more flights by Dubai-based Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways.

The UAE argued that the market between the two countries, which currently amounts to six flights a week flown by Emirates and Etihad, was under-served. Both Arab carriers already have large, modern jet fleets and hundreds more wide-body aircraft on order. They are seeking to fill those airplanes by securing landing rights around the world.

The request by the UAE was strongly opposed by Air Canada and Transport Canada. They argued that it should not be granted because there were relatively few passengers travelling between the two countries, and that the real intent of Emirates and Etihad was to fill aircraft bound for Canada with passengers from elsewhere in the Middle East, as well as India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Many of those passengers now transfer to Air Canada flights in Frankfurt that are bound for Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, after reaching the German business capital with the Canadian carrier’s Star Alliance partner, Lufthansa.

Caught in the crossfire has been the Canadian military, which has depended on Camp Mirage to move sensitive cargo and passengers to and from Afghanistan for seven years, as is it considered too dangerous to shuttle essential cargo and soldiers through Pakistan. The base includes maintenance facilities for the C-130J Hercules aircraft that are the workhorses of Canada’s Afghanistan air bridge, as well as sleeping areas, a Canadian-run cafeteria and a ball-hockey rink.

Camp Mirage was also expected to be a critical logistics hub as Canada’s mission in Kandahar winds down next summer.

"One thing I know about the Canadian Forces is they are very adaptable," MacKay said. "They have alternatives and contingency plans. With that in mind, we are going through the various options before us right now. We will continue to do our mission primarily and we will find ways to support this mission through other hubs."

By refusing to let Canada’s C-17 Globemaster land, the UAE would seem to have breached a memorandum of understanding between the two countries regarding the use of the airbase.

The UAE invoked a clause in the MOU agreement last Tuesday, which gave Canada 30 days to close out all operations at Mirage, which it shares with the Dutch and Australian air forces. The sudden closure will involve the urgent removal of tons of gear and several hundred air force personnel from the base.

The MOU should have meant that Canada could still stage flights through Dubai for another 24 days.

"If they (the UAE) want to send a message, it’s a great way to do it," a senior military official said.

Canada has been looking closely at sending sensitive cargo through a NATO base in Germany, with most troops transiting through Cyprus, where some do already. Other options include trying to secure landing rights in neighbouring Gulf states and Turkey.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/MacKay ... story.html

[ova]

В чем проблема-то? Всего лишь симметричный ответ на наглые канадские местечковые правила ведения дел. Даже как-то удивились что им адекватно ответили. Да,это вам не беззащитных хомяков обувать

[Marmot]

В чем проблема-то?

Как в чем? А где и когда мы еще на А-380 покататься сможем
А так бы, они бы запросто могли сделать кучу рейсов на Европу невыгодныму для того же Star Alliance , и мы бы стали летать на родину через Эмираты!!! Опять получается хомяков обули...

[ova]

они бы запросто могли сделать кучу рейсов на Европу невыгодныму для того же Star Alliance ..

Скорее заставить последнего понизить цены.

[Marmot]

они бы запросто могли сделать кучу рейсов на Европу невыгодныму для того же Star Alliance ..

Скорее заставить последнего понизить цены.

Дык они от так от одного банкротства до другого живут, так что кирдык им будет конкретный.
А вот на А-380 полетать хочется...
Я вообще не понимаю, зачем Канаде собственные авиакомпании, когда они еле выживают...
Пусть нас возят те, кто умеет это делать с большей выгодой для себя, и значит для нас!

[Marmot]

Вах, а какие там стюардессы: http://www.emirates.com/english/

[Stanislav]

В чем проблема-то?

Как в чем? А где и когда мы еще на А-380 покататься сможем
А так бы, они бы запросто могли сделать кучу рейсов на Европу невыгодныму для того же Star Alliance , и мы бы стали летать на родину через Эмираты!!! Опять получается хомяков обули...

Ну это чиста извращение - лететь через Эмираты в Россию - время полета ИМХО будет в два раза больше...