Flights to Syria from Qatar resume on Tuesday after 13 years

Flights from Doha to Damascus International Airport will resume on Tuesday after 13 years, national airline Qatar Airways has said. The airline halted its services to Damascus and Aleppo in 2011 due to the country's civil war. The airline said it was working with authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security and operational standards were met before the relaunch. Qatar Airways Group CE Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “We are pleased to resume flights to Damascus, a destination of great historical and cultural importance. This announcement underscores our dedication to fostering connectivity and facilitating travel for our passengers.” The resumption of flights to Syria comes after operations were suspended at the airport when Bashar Al Assad's government was toppled on December 8 last year. Qatar Airways' first flight will leave Hamad International Airport in the capital at 10.05am local time. The return from Damascus to Doha is due to take off at 3pm local time. Trips between the two cities will be re-established with three weekly flights beginning on Tuesday. Syrian Air is also resuming flights on Tuesday, with trips between Damascus and Dubai for Dh1,030 ($280), fully booked until January 13, a member of the airline's staff told The National. The Syrian Arab News Agency quoted Ashhad Al Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, as saying: "We reassure Arab and international airlines that we are in the process of fully rehabilitating both Aleppo and Damascus airports, with the assistance of our partners, to ensure they can receive flights from all over the world." The National approached other airlines across the region about their plans to resume flights to Syria, with most unable to offer any update as they were taking a wait-and-see approach.<br/>