Turkish Airlines eyes quick resumption of Damascus-Istanbul flights

Turkish Airlines Vice President of Sales for the Middle East and Cyprus Erol Senol announced plans to resume flights between Damascus and Istanbul at the earliest opportunity. The statement followed technical discussions held on Thursday between a Turkish Airlines delegation and Syrian officials.

Senol said a delegation from Turkish Airlines met with the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority and Syrian Air’s management in the Syrian capital, Damascus on Thursday.

“Our meetings went well, and we were warmly received,” he said. The discussions addressed the necessary processes to resume flights between Türkiye and Damascus, said Senol.

“We assessed airport operations and reviewed the fleet structure of Syrian Airlines. Our primary goal is to strengthen the technical and technological infrastructure of Syrian Airlines,” Erol Senol said.

Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s decadeslong regime.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks. A new administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has taken control of the country.