March 9 - Coyne Airways has been appointed as the exclusive sales agent in the UK and Ireland for RUS Aviation, giving freight forwarders direct access to an extensive route network into Iraq.

Coyne first launched neutral air cargo services into Iraq in 2004 and, to date, has managed the secure delivery of 35 million kilogrammes of cargo into Iraq from all over the world. It has worked with RUS Aviation as its preferred airline partner into Iraq since August 2009.

RUS Aviation flies from both Dubai and Sharjah, operating 42 tonne capacity Airbus A300 freighters and IL-76F aircraft with a payload of 38 tonnes. Twice-weekly services offer cargo deliveries to Baghdad, Erbil, Sulaimaniyah and Balad, while all other major airports in Iraq - including Basra, Mosul and Kirkuk - are available on request.

Larry Coyne, CEO of Coyne Airways (pictured below), said: "RUS Aviation offers excellent schedule integrity and the proven reliability into Iraq. It is a growing market with significant business potential but forwarders and shippers want to know their goods are being transported by a carrier with a track record for quality, security and on-time delivery. RUS Aviation meets all of these requirements, including for the movement of dangerous goods.

"Extending our working relationship adds increased robustness to our Iraq schedules and enables Coyne to offer complete coverage of Iraq on a single through AWB from all major airports. In addition, we will now be able to provide a return service from Iraq to the UK."