Dubai carrier Emirates airline will resume flights to Syrian capital Damascus this month.
After initial plans to relaunch the route on July 1 were put on hold due to regional flight disruptions, the first flight is now planned for take off on July 16. Going forward, there will be three services per week, on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.
This number will increase to four flights from August 2, with Saturday added to the timetable. By October 26, Emirates will further expand services to fly to the historic city daily.
The route was ceased by the Dubai-based carrier in 2012, as civil war broke out in Syria.
But since the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Assad's regime late last year, followed by the lifting of sanctions on Syria by US President Donald Trump during his visit to the Gulf, several airlines have begun to reopen the route.
In May, Emirates's sister airline flydubai announced it would resume flights to Damascus after 12 years. Flydubai's Flight FZ 115 touched down at Damascus International Airport on Sunday, after taking off from Dubai International at 6.30am local time.
“Emirates is pleased to restart operations to Damascus and support Syria’s road ahead by providing better choice and connectivity, essential economic links for inwards investment as well as opening new trade lanes and global market access for the country," said Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, chairman and chief executive of the Emirates airline and group.
"Re-establishing air travel and connectivity is also good news for our customers who make up the expansive Syrian diaspora across the Americas, Europe and the GCC, who are eager to fly back home and reconnect to their roots, and leverage their knowledge, skills, expertise and resources in ongoing development efforts.
"We would like to thank the Syrian authorities for their support in strengthening connectivity between Dubai and Damascus, and look forward to boosting links to and from the country through our regularly scheduled operations.”
The service will operate with a 302-seat Boeing 777-200LR, 38 of which will be business class seats. Taking off from Dubai International Airport at noon local time, the soon-to-be-daily route will arrive at Damascus International Airport at 2.10pm local time.
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