European airlines contact  the General Civil Aviation Authority to operate flights to Syria

Samih Arabi, an advisor at the General Civil Aviation Authority, revealed that European airlines have contacted them after the lifting of civil aviation sanctions on Syria to inquire about the requirements for operating flights to the country. He added, “We welcomed the inquiries and sent them the necessary conditions for operating flights to Damascus International Airport.”

“These airlines will certainly take their time to assess the technical condition of the airport before starting operations.” Arabi said in a statement.

Regarding the ability of Syrian aviation to operate flights to various countries worldwide after the lifting of sanctions, Arabi indicated that it will now be capable of conducting different flights. He revealed that efforts are underway to expand the Syrian airline fleet within a year by adding between five to six aircrafts, noting that this number could double depending on circumstances.

Concerning the fate of the private company that was contracted during the era of the former regime to manage Syrian Airlines, Arabi confirmed that this company no longer exists.

He added, “The contract was unfair from the beginning, and even among its board members was a member of the former regime’s family.”

Arabi emphasized that the management of Syrian Airlines will be entrusted to national cadres with high levels of education, technical expertise, and advanced skills, noting that such expertise is already available.

Rawaa Ghanam