'Overwhelming joy' as first flight out of post-Assad Syria lands in the UAE

Syrian authorities seek to reassure international airlines over safety as most hold off on flights

A Syrian Air flight landed at Sharjah International Airport on Tuesday, making it the first outward-bound international commercial flight from Damascus since Syrian rebels toppled former president Bashar Al Assad's government last month.

The plane, which was carrying 145 Syrian citizens, according to the Sana news agency, landed shortly after 3.35pm. It marked a return to international travel from the Syrian capital after flights were grounded on December 8.

Syrian nationals arrived in their droves at Sharjah's airport to welcome family members into the country for the first time since 13 years of civil war came to an end, expressing deep feelings of emotion and celebration.

Omar Al Shayeb, 31, has been living in the UAE for nearly two and a half years. On Tuesday, he greeted his mother, who is leaving Syria for the first time in her life, for a one-month visit.

International flights resume from Damascus – in pictures

“I originally booked her ticket before the regime’s fall and she was supposed to arrive on December 9,” he told The National. “Then the events unfolded and the flight was delayed. It was a mix of happiness and sadness, but I’m grateful because the delay happened for a great reason. Before these events, whenever I suggested visiting Syria, the first thing she would say was, ‘Don’t even think about it, the situation is too dangerous', but now, the country that was once captive is finally free.”

His mother, Umm Omar, 61, lost a 17-year-old son in 2013, when the regime's warplanes bombed her home in Al Ruhayba, north of Damascus. She shared her experience of leaving Syria after the fall of the Assad regime. “Before the liberation, we couldn’t travel without running into checkpoints everywhere,” she said.

“You’d barely drive a short distance before reaching another checkpoint. Today, everything was different. I swear, I felt like the whole world was lit up, the roads were open, everything felt easy.”

When asked how she felt leaving Syria after the regime’s downfall, she let out a long sigh and said: “It was the greatest blessing. Thank God for it. Maybe our trip was delayed so we could live to see this moment.”

'Unlike anything I've ever experienced'

Dima Al Bayrouti, 32, welcomed her mother with her son, daughter and a bouquet. “This is the first time I’m greeting my mother as she arrives from a liberated country, instead of a war-torn one like before,” she told The National. “We’re welcoming all our guests coming from Syria with an overwhelming sense of joy and pride.”

Her mother, Feryal Tartoussi, 55, shared her thoughts on the journey from Damascus. “The experience was completely different this time,” she said. "The young men working there were so polite, wishing us well and treating us kindly, even apologising or asking permission if needed."

“This was unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and I’ve travelled many times in the past,” Ms Tartoussi added. “The difference is clear. This time, we felt like our country is truly ours again … It’s a moment that filled me with hope.”

Fellow Syrian citizen Khaled Al Hamadi, 45, spoke to The National as he waited for his mother and sister to arrive and reflected Ms Tartoussi's comments that the airport facilities in Damascus have improved, having been in constant contact with his mother and sister since they arrived for their flight. “They told me how excellent the airport’s condition is. They said the services have improved tremendously, and the staff treated them with utmost care,” he said. “The service was fast and efficient. We never dreamt this could happen.”

Reflecting on the broader changes, he said: “The country has started to breathe again after being suffocated for so long.”

International picture

Flights from Doha, Qatar, to Damascus International Airport also resumed on Tuesday for the first time in 13 years. Qatar Airways stopped its services to the Syrian capital and Aleppo in 2011 because of the country's civil war.

Syrian Air flights between Damascus and Dubai are fully booked until January 13, with trips costing Dh1,030 ($280), 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.”

What next for flights to and from Syria?

Other airlines across the region are keeping tight-lipped about plans to resume flights to Syria, with most unable to offer any update when contacted by The National as they are taking a wait-and-see approach. “We are closely monitoring the situation in the market,” a flydubai representative said. “We continue to work closely with the relevant authorities.”

The flights follows a move by US President Joe Biden's administration on Monday that eased some of the country's sanctions on Syria, allowing for quicker delivery of humanitarian aid for the interim government in Damascus.

For an initial six months, the decision will allow the Treasury Department to issue waivers to aid groups and companies providing essentials including water, electricity and other humanitarian supplies.

“This action underscores the United States’ commitment to ensuring that US sanctions do not impede activities to meet basic human needs, including the provision of public services or humanitarian assistance,” the Treasury said.