Qatar Airways Returns to Syria – Which Airlines Could Follow?

A little piece of normality returned to Damascus on Tuesday afternoon. Qatar Airways flight QR410 touched down in the Syrian capital just before 1 p.m. local time, heralding the start of a new three-times weekly service from Doha.

The flight marks the first scheduled passenger flight by a large international airline since the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in late November. Before the start of Syria’s civil war in 2012, more than a dozen big-name carriers – including Qatar Airways – served Damascus.

The company said its decision to restart operations “reflects [a] commitment to fostering regional connectivity and supporting passenger demand.”

It is also likely that geopolitical and diplomatic efforts have played a role.

Qatar’s Peninsula newspaper reports that the launch of passenger air service from Doha forms part of a wider assistance package between the two countries, including improvements to Damascus International Airport. In recent years, Qatar has played an increasingly influential role as a power broker in regional and global affairs. 

Back to Basics

As the first major airline to return to Syria, Qatar Airways has been working with local officials to ensure the launch goes smoothly.

More than a decade of civil war and subsequent instability has led to a lack of investment and maintenance in aviation infrastructure. The airline said it is “working closely with relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary safety, security, and operational standards are met.”

Qatar Airways’ re-entry is notable, however, in these fragile early days it is flying just a third of its pre-war capacity.

Skift analysis of data from Cirium Diio shows that in January 2011, the carrier operated 14 flights a week from Doha using a mix of Airbus A320 and A321 jets, offering a total of 2,181 seats. The current three-weekly schedule is flown by larger A330 planes but offers just 780 seats. 

As the political, economic, and security situation continues to stabilize, it is likely we could see further big-name airlines returning to Damascus. 

Could Other Big Airlines Follow?

Including the new Qatar Airways link, Cirium data shows a total of 25 commercial flights are due to depart this week, offering around 4,100 seats. The vast majority of these are with local carrier Syrian Air.

Turn the clock back to January 2011, and more than 50,000 seats were available onboard 340 flights with almost 30 different airlines. So who could be next to join Qatar Airways in returning?

In the pre-war era, Saudia had one of the largest footprints in the country, offering 26 weekly flights to four cities in Saudi Arabia. Given the huge economic and societal changes that have taken place in the Kingdom since 2011, a revised air link to Jeddah or Riyadh is possible. 

Qatar Airways’ regional rival Emirates could also be a contender. It operated double-daily flights with widebody aircraft before the war, offering more than 3,800 seats a week to and from its Dubai hub. 

Turkish Airlines is another big name to watch. It previously offered three flights a day between Damascus and Istanbul. In the years since, it has grown beyond recognition and today serves 120 countries – more than any other airline. Could Syria make it 121?