Flydubai plane lands at Damascus airport to end 12-year absence

UAE's envoy to Syria welcomes passengers on the tarmac as post-war Syria looks to the future

The first flydubai flight to Damascus in 12 years landed on Sunday. Photo: Sana

The first flydubai flight to Syria in 12 years touched down at Damascus International Airport on Sunday, marking another significant step forward in the nation's postwar recovery.

The low-cost airline announced plans last week to resume services to the Syrian capital in time for the busy Eid Al Adha break.

Damascus was one of flydubai's first destinations nearly 16 years ago, but services were halted due to the civil war.

Pictures shared by Sana, the Syrian news agency, showed gleeful passengers stepping off the plane at the airport.

Latest: Emirates to resume flights to Damascus from July

The flight was received by a welcoming party, which included the Emirati ambassador to Syria, Hassan Al Shehhi, and Abdul Al Saj, deputy chairman of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority.

The restarting of regular flights will be a major boost for Syrians in the UAE and their homeland, who have been deprived of a direct air link to connect with family and friends for so many years.

The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of flights between the Emirates and Syria on April 14.

The restoration of air travel between the nations came only days after Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara's first visit to the UAE since taking office, during which he held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed.

Mr Al Shara, who led the Hayat Tahrir Al Sham rebel group that ousted former president Bashar Al Assad, is looking to improve relations with Arab neighbours and the Gulf states following a civil war in Syria.

A landmark passenger flight from Syria arrived in the UAE on April 20 to usher in the resumption of air services.

Flydubai's Flight FZ 115 is to take off daily from Dubai International's Terminal 2 at 6.30am local time and arrive at Damascus International Airport at 8.45am local time. The corresponding Flight FZ 116 will take off from Damascus at 10am, arriving in Dubai at 2.20pm.

Flydubai will offer business and economy class seats on the flights.

“Damascus holds a special cultural and historical significance within the region and we are excited to serve the city again with a direct daily service, highlighting our commitment to supporting the UAE's efforts to foster regional connectivity,” said flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith last week.

“The relaunch of flights to Damascus will enable passengers from the UAE and around the network to enjoy convenient travel options to the market,” said Jeyhun Efendi, divisional senior vice president of commercial operations and e-commerce at flydubai.

“After working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary operational standards have been met ahead of the relaunch, we look forward to welcoming passengers back on board again soon, just in time for the coming Eid Al Adha holiday and peak summer travel period.”