Resumption of Flights Between "Istanbul and Damascus" After a 13-Year Halt

Türkiye Airlines has announced the resumption of its flights from Istanbul Airport to Damascus Airport in Syria after a hiatus of nearly 13 years.

News agencies reported that a Turkish Airlines plane conducted the first flight from Istanbul Airport to Damascus Airport, designated as flight number "TK 846," carrying 349 passengers on board.

Watch

The Turkish plane departed from Istanbul at around 09:00 Istanbul time and reached Damascus International Airport approximately two hours after takeoff.

Turkish Airlines plans to operate three weekly flights to Damascus after the years-long suspension.

The airline had halted its flights to Syria on April 1, 2012, due to the Syrian civil war.

With the resumption of flights, Turkish Airlines issued instructions for passengers traveling to Syria.

In a statement published on its website, Turkish Airlines explained that the rules were set based on decisions made by Syrian authorities and urged passengers to adhere to them in order to enter Syria. The instructions were as follows:

• Citizens of all countries are allowed to enter Syria, except for citizens of Israel and Iran.
• Syrians can enter the country by presenting a document proving their Syrian nationality.
• Lebanese citizens are allowed to enter Syria if one of their parents holds Syrian nationality or if they hold a residence permit or visa from another country.
• Journalists must obtain a special permit from the relevant authorities to enter Syria.

Türkiye Airlines urged all passengers to ensure they meet the mentioned conditions and verify the required documents to avoid any disruptions during their travels.