Latest news with #DamascusInternationalAirport
Gulf Today
20 hours ago
- Business
- Gulf Today
Emirates officially resumes flights to Damascus
Emirates has officially resumed operations to the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the return of the 'City of Jasmine' to its Middle East network. The airline's comeback reconnects travellers to Syria and onwards across six continents. Flight EK913 landed at Damascus International Airport at 14:30 with 286 passengers onboard and was welcomed with a water cannon salute. Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, Minister of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency headed the UAE delegation along with Emirates executives who were onboard the flight and led the ceremony upon arrival, including Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer; Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President International Affairs; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Centre); Sami Aqil, Senior Vice President – Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support; Nick Moore, Senior Vice President, Passenger and Hub operations and Ahmad Al Khamis – Vice President, Aeropolitical Affairs. Emirates leadership and Syrian officials held a cake-cutting and gift exchange ceremony. The delegation also included Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director-General, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority; baid Saif Mohammed Alnuaimi, Executive Director Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Hamad Ibrahim Essa Taher, Head of Aviation Security, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Ahmed Saqer Al Marri, Dubai Group Security, Dubai Police; in addition to UAE media and other distinguished guests. The first flight was welcomed by a VIP delegation including Hasan Ahmed Al Shehhi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Syria; Amjad Nakhal, Director of the Chairman's Office, General Authority of Civil Aviation; Anis Fallouh, Director of Damascus International Airport; Colonel Omar Abdel Baqi, Head of Security, Damascus International Airport and Alaa Sallal, Director of PR, General Authority of Civil Aviation; in the presence of other representatives of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Damascus International Airport, as well as media. Emirates and Syrian officials pose for a group photo at Dubai International Airport. WAM Adil Al Ghaith said, 'Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the return of Emirates to Damascus. By connecting Syria to nearly 150 destinations, we aim to facilitate tourism, trade and investment and support the country's recovery. The UAE and Syria share historic ties, and we thank the authorities on both sides for their cooperation in resuming services.' To commemorate the relaunch, Emirates leadership and Syrian officials held a cake-cutting and gift exchange ceremony. Alaa Sallal, Director of Public Relations at Syria's General Authority of Civil Aviation, added, 'Through high-level coordination and shared vision, teams from Syria and the UAE met all requirements to resume air operations, reflecting the strength of bilateral ties and economic cooperation.' Emirates will initially operate three weekly flights to Damascus on Monday, Wednesday and Sunday, increasing to four weekly from 2nd August and to daily flights from 26th October. Customers will also benefit from Emirates' codeshare with flydubai for added connectivity. The airline first launched services to Damascus in 1988, and before suspending operations in 2012 had transported over 2.1 million passengers. Emirates currently operates 194 weekly flights to 14 cities in the Middle East and GCC. WAM
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Emirates officially resumes flights to Damascus
17 July 2025 18:06 DUBAI (WAM) Emirates has officially resumed operations to the Syrian capital, Damascus, marking the return of the 'City of Jasmine' to its Middle East airline's comeback reconnects travellers to Syria and onwards across six EK913 landed at Damascus International Airport at 14:30 with 286 passengers onboard and was welcomed with a water cannon of Sports and Chairman of the UAE Space Agency, Dr. Ahmad Belhoul Al Falasi, headed the UAE delegation along with Emirates executives who were onboard the flight and led the ceremony upon arrival, including Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operations Officer; Sheikh Majid Al Mualla, Divisional Senior Vice President International Affairs; Adil Al Ghaith, Senior Vice President Commercial Operations (Centre); Sami Aqil, Senior Vice President – Emirates Airport Services Outstation and Business Support; Nick Moore, Senior Vice President, Passenger and Hub operations and Ahmad Al Khamis – Vice President, Aeropolitical delegation also included Omar Bin Ghaleb, Deputy Director-General, UAE General Civil Aviation Authority; Obaid Saif Mohammed Alnuaimi, Executive Director Aviation Security and Accident Investigation Sector, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; Hamad Ibrahim Essa Taher, Head of Aviation Security, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority; and Ahmed Saqer Al Marri, Dubai Group Security, Dubai Police; in addition to UAE media and other distinguished first flight was welcomed by a VIP delegation including Hasan Ahmed Al Shehhi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Syria; Amjad Nakhal, Director of the Chairman's Office, General Authority of Civil Aviation; Anis Fallouh, Director of Damascus International Airport; Colonel Omar Abdel Baqi, Head of Security, Damascus International Airport and Alaa Sallal, Director of PR, General Authority of Civil Aviation; in the presence of other representatives of the General Authority of Civil Aviation and Damascus International Airport, as well as Al Ghaith said, 'Today marks a significant milestone as we celebrate the return of Emirates to Damascus. By connecting Syria to nearly 150 destinations, we aim to facilitate tourism, trade and investment, and support the country's recovery. The UAE and Syria share historic ties, and we thank the authorities on both sides for their cooperation in resuming services.'To commemorate the relaunch, Emirates leadership and Syrian officials held a cake-cutting and gift exchange of Public Relations at Syria's General Authority of Civil Aviation, Alaa Sallal, added, 'Through high-level coordination and shared vision, teams from Syria and the UAE met all requirements to resume air operations, reflecting the strength of bilateral ties and economic cooperation.'Emirates will initially operate three weekly flights to Damascus on Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday, increasing to four weekly from August 2 and to daily flights from October 26. Customers will also benefit from Emirates' codeshare with flydubai for added airline first launched services to Damascus in 1988, and before suspending operations in 2012 had transported over 2.1 million passengers. Emirates currently operates 194 weekly flights to 14 cities in the Middle East and GCC.
Kuwait Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
Kuwait, Syria eye cooperation
Kuwait, Syria eye cooperation Sheikh Fahad meets counterpart in Damascus after high-profile Lebanon visit DAMASCUS: First Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousef Al-Sabah held talks on Tuesday with Syrian Interior Minister Anas Khattab to explore avenues for strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly over combating drug trafficking and organized crime and exchanging security information and expertise. According to a statement issued by Kuwaiti interior ministry, the discussions focused on enhancing coordination across various security domains with the aim of supporting the safety and stability of both countries. The two ministers affirmed the deep-rooted fraternal ties between Kuwait and Syria and their mutual keenness to advance joint efforts through strengthened security cooperation. They also agreed to maintain ongoing consultations on issues of shared interest and to activate institutional coordination channels between their respective ministries. The meeting was attended by senior security officials from both sides. Sheikh Fahad arrived in Damascus earlier in the day from Beirut, concluding an official visit to Lebanon. He was received at Damascus International Airport by Syrian Deputy Minister of Interior for Police Affairs Maj Gen Ahmed Latouf and several high-ranking Syrian security officials. During his visit to Lebanon, Sheikh Fahad met President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar. Discussions during those meetings focused on enhancing Kuwaiti-Lebanese cooperation in political, parliamentary, economic and security fields, reflecting the shared commitment of both nations to regional stability and sustainable development. — KUNA
Arabian Post
11-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Air Arabia Reinitiates Sharjah–Damascus Flights
Arabian Post Staff -Dubai Air Arabia has recommenced double daily non‑stop flights between Sharjah and Damascus from 10 July 2025, marking a pivotal renewal of air connectivity between the UAE and Syria. The low‑cost carrier's decision, following a suspension since 2012, responds to rising demand and broader regional diplomatic easing. The carrier's reinstated schedule includes two early departures from Sharjah at 04:15 and 10:45, landing in Damascus at 06:30 and 13:00, respectively. Return services depart Damascus at 07:30 and 14:00, arriving in Sharjah at approximately 11:40 and 18:10 local time. Utilising Airbus A320s and A321s, Air Arabia's fleet will provide in‑flight entertainment via 'SkyTime', on‑board dining through 'SkyCafe', and loyalty benefits under its 'Air Rewards' programme. ADVERTISEMENT During a launch ceremony at Sharjah International Airport, attendees included Adel Al Ali, Group CEO of Air Arabia, and Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Airport Authority, indicating the route's strategic significance. A reception at Damascus International Airport featured UAE Ambassador Hasan Ahmed Mohammed Sulaiman Alshehhi and Syria's Chargé d'Affaires Ziad Yahya Zaher Edin. CEO Al Ali emphasised the route's importance in serving the substantial Syrian diaspora in the UAE, estimated at over 350,000 individuals, and facilitating enhanced travel for business, tourism, and family visits. He remarked, 'This route holds particular significance in serving the Syrian diaspora in the region and meeting the growing travel demand between the UAE and Syria.' The airline anticipates this service will bolster trade ties, with bilateral trade having reached US $680 million in 2024—a 23 percent increase over 2023. Air Arabia's restoring of direct flights aligns with a wider trend of regional airlines re‑engaging Syria. Emirates is scheduled to recommence services to Damascus from 16 July, expanding to daily flights by October. Flydubai resumed operations on 26 June. Additionally, national carrier Syrian Air has restarted several regional services since January, while Qatar Airways reinstated a Doha‑Damascus route in early January. Turkish budget airline Anadolu Jet launched flights from Istanbul and Ankara in April. Damascus International Airport itself underwent closure during an opposition offensive in December 2024, later reopening with limited commercial flights. Full international traffic resumed in January 2025, with renovation support from Turkey in February. The renewal of these services carries deeper geopolitical significance, reflecting a subtle shift in diplomatic engagement with Syria. In April, the UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority formally lifted suspensions on flights to Syria, and UAE‑Syrian ministerial talks have since addressed aviation, banking, and consular matters. Travel agents and industry analysts have interpreted the move as a calculated expansion of Air Arabia's network, offering cost‑conscious alternatives to Gulf‑Europe‑Syria itineraries, especially for the UK and Europe‑based Syrian diaspora. The airline's fare structure and twice‑daily service are expected to attract both long‑standing diaspora links and emerging trade flows. Independent aviation analysts note that Air Arabia's streamlined operations, lean cost base, and digital platform—covering bookings via website, app, call centre, and travel agencies—are key competitive advantages. The company now serves more than 90 global destinations, including recent additions such as Sochi, Prague, and expansion within Russia and Europe. Despite the optimism, security concerns remain. Damascus Airport was only partially reopened in January, and while the civil aviation authority has announced upgrades, full operational stability depends on infrastructure restoration and geopolitical calm. Some observers caution that air travel to Syria may still face intermittent regulatory or safety challenges, advising prospective travellers to monitor advisories and airlines' updates closely. Nevertheless, the resumption of the Sharjah–Damascus route represents a turning point for mobility in the region. By restoring a decade‑long link, Air Arabia reinforces its position as a catalyst for regional integration and economic exchange, while filling a transport gap for displaced communities and traders across the Gulf.
Dubai Eye
01-07-2025
- Business
- Dubai Eye
Air Arabia to resume Sharjah–Damascus flights
Air Arabia has announced the return of direct flights between Sharjah and Damascus, starting July 10. The route will operate twice daily, connecting Sharjah International Airport with Damascus International Airport. The airline says the move strengthens regional air connectivity and supports growing travel demand between the UAE and Syria, especially among the Syrian diaspora. Air Arabia Group's CEO Adel Al Ali said the resumed service will support business, tourism and cultural exchange, while offering greater flexibility for travellers.
