Qatar Airways to resume flights to Syria following Turkish Airlines’ lead
File photo shows a Qatar Airways aircraft takes off. (Photo via qatarairways.com)
Qatar Airways announced that it will resume flights to the Syrian capital Damascus after a nearly 13-year hiatus, beginning on Jan. 7.
The Qatari national carrier “is pleased to announce the resumption of three weekly flights to Damascus, Syria, from 7 Jan. 2025,” it said in a press release on Thursday.
It hailed a “significant step in reconnecting the region,” about a month after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, capping more than a decade of civil war.
“Qatar Airways is working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards are met ahead of the relaunch,” the airline said.
CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said the company was “pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance”. A Qatari official told Agence France-Presse (AFP) last month that Doha had offered the new Syrian authorities help in resuming operations at Damascus airport.
Qatar was the second country, after Türkiye, to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital following the overthrow of the Assad government on Dec. 8. Unlike several of its neighbors, Qatar had remained a stern critic of Assad and did not renew ties with Syria despite its return to the Arab diplomatic fold last year.
On Dec. 20, Turkish Airlines announced the resumption of flights to Damascus and opened ticket sales for these destinations on its website and app, becoming the first airline to take such a step.
