Georgia bars Syrian airlines from crossing its airspace

Georgia has denied 2 Syrian airlines access to its airspace in retaliation for Damascus recognising the statehood of 2 Georgian breakaway regions last month, a senior aviation official said. One of the airlines, Cham Wings, was revealed in April to have transported Russian private military contractors to take part in the fighting in Syria. The other airline is Syrian Air. Cham Wings and Syrian Air flights between Syria and Russia stopped using Georgian airspace in June. They diverted instead to Georgia's eastern neighbour Azerbaijan, adding about 30 minutes to the flight time. The two are the only airlines operating direct flights between Syria and Russia. Civilian flights between the two countries had been passing through Georgia because Turkey, the most direct route, denies Syrian aircraft overflight rights. <br/>