Deir Ezzor Airport Resumes Domestic Flights After Decade
LONDON- Syria’s Deir Ezzor International Airport received its first domestic commercial flight in a decade on Wednesday after completing restoration work, marking a step in the country’s efforts to revive internal air transport and reconnect the eastern province with the capital.
A Syrian Airlines flight from Damascus International Airport landed at the airport, ending a ten-year suspension of domestic services, according to Syria’s state news agency SANA. The reopening follows months of rehabilitation work aimed at returning the facility to operational status.
The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority said the restored route forms part of a broader initiative to revive domestic aviation, facilitate passenger travel, stimulate economic activity and strengthen transport links between Syria’s provinces.
Rehabilitation work at Deir Ezzor Airport began earlier this year. In February, the Civil Aviation Authority announced plans to restore the airport as part of wider efforts to resume operations at facilities that had remained closed for years.
Airport officials said the principal repair work was completed by mid-July, after which regulatory inspections and final safety procedures were carried out in preparation for reopening the airport to commercial traffic.
The restoration has also paved the way for the return of international services. Last month, the airport received a delegation from Kuwait’s Civil Aviation Authority and representatives of Jazeera Airways as part of preparations for restarting cross-border operations.
Syrian aviation authorities have said Kuwait-based Jazeera Airways is scheduled to begin direct flights between Kuwait and Deir Ezzor on Aug. 8. The planned service is intended to strengthen air connectivity between Syria and Kuwait while providing additional travel options for passengers.
The resumption of domestic flights is expected to improve transportation links for residents of eastern Syria and support commercial activity by reconnecting Deir Ezzor with Damascus after years of limited aviation services.
The reopening of Deir Ezzor Airport is part of Syria’s broader effort to restore civil aviation infrastructure and gradually expand domestic and international flight operations following prolonged disruptions that left several airports operating at reduced capacity or closed for extended periods.
