Flights resumed at Damascus International Airport on Tuesday after a month-long suspension following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government, bringing a sense of optimism for a brighter, more peaceful future for Syrian citizens.
The first outbound flight was scheduled to depart Tuesday for the United Arab Emirates while an incoming flight from Qatar landed later in the day, marking the first time that a commercial flight landed in the Syrian capital during the political transition.
It was also the first time a Qatari commercial craft has flown to Syria in 13 years. The airport was closed amid a turbulent political transition, but with security conditions improved, a decision was made to reopen it.
"Our airspace is stable with no aircraft out of control. We encountered such violations in the first few days then we coordinated to solve this issue, and now the Syrian aerodrome control tower is controlling the entire Syrian airspace. The civil planes are flying in their aerial corridor as usual," said Ashhad Salibi, chairman of the Syrian General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport.
The rehabilitation of the airport was prioritized for humanitarian aid flights from some Arab countries, to alleviate the economic hardships that Syrians have been experiencing for years.
"What happened today will mitigate the suffering of the Syrian people, who used to take other countries' airports due to the closure of Damascus and Aleppo airports. That used to cost them more and made them exert more efforts, but now Syrians can take Damascus international airport to leave or to come," said Salibi.
The reopening of the airport is regarded as a "historic" moment by Syrians, many of whom have been abroad for a long time under the shadow of the political chaos.
"The trip was awesome. For me, it is a historic moment that I can't really describe how nice it is. It is been a long time of being abroad and now we are looking forward to the new Syria," said Syrian returnee Ziad Harb.
Damascus International Airport serves as a critical hub for Syria's connectivity to the wider region. Its reopening is seen as a symbolic step towards rebuilding and stabilizing the country's infrastructure.
Damascus International Airport reopens, boosting hopes for Syrian residents
