Civilian Flights from Damascus After the Fall of Assad

Civilian Flights from Damascus After the Fall of Assad
December 18, 2024, 10:29 am

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In a move considered the first of its kind since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, the first civilian airplane took off from Damascus International Airport on December 8, headed for the city of Aleppo in northern Syria. This flight comes at a time when the country is witnessing military operations by opposition factions led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, which currently controls the area.

According to statements from a Syria TV reporter, the flight was a test flight and was not accompanied by any passengers, consisting only of technical crew. The purpose of the flight was to test the readiness of Damascus Airport and its air navigation systems, with the itinerary including a return to the airport.

Officials at Damascus Airport noted the need to develop and modernize the airport following 14 years of neglect and the lack of any steps to improve its infrastructure.

Onboard the Airbus that took off were several journalists, according to a reporter from Agence France-Presse.

The Syrian Transport Minister in the caretaker government, Bahauddin Sherm, confirmed in a statement to Syria TV that the development of Damascus International Airport may require investments exceeding $100 million. He pointed out that the condition of Syrian airports remains backward, while the previous regime focused on security restrictions rather than enhancing the necessary infrastructure for the aviation sector.

Regarding the fleet of aircraft, the minister announced that there are four planes ready for operation at Damascus Airport after completing their preparations.

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