Saudi Arabia agrees to resume flights between Damascus, Riyadh
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – A Syrian official said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has agreed to resume flights between Damascus and Riyadh.
Director of Syrian Airlines, Hatem Kabas, told the semi-official al-Watan newspaper that Saudi Arabia has agreed to operate regular flights for Syrian Airlines from Damascus International Airport to Riyadh International Airport starting from July 7.
He pointed out that there are efforts to collaborate with the Saudi side to advance the date of the first flights.
Syrian Airlines has taken 10,900 pilgrims via 42 flights from Damascus International Airport to Jeddah to perform Hajj, according to Kabas.
He noted that pilgrims will return to Syria between June 21 and July 6 with an average of two or three daily flights.
International sanctions have crippled Syrian civil aviation sector, preventing it from importing airplanes and spare parts for the maintenance of planes.
In May, despite sanctions, Saudi Arabia sent equipment and spare parts for the maintenance of civil aviation via Bahrain to the Syrian government, days after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attended the 33 Arab summit.