Germany, Syria restore direct air link after 14 years

DAMASCUS, Syria (MNTV) — Germany and Syria have resumed direct commercial air travel for the first time in nearly 14 years after a German airline operated a passenger flight to Damascus, signaling the gradual restoration of aviation links between Syria and Europe.

A LEAV Aviation flight from Düsseldorf landed at Damascus International Airport on Wednesday, re-establishing a direct route that had been suspended since the outbreak of Syria’s civil war in 2011.

The airline is scheduled to operate another service on Aug. 1 between Cologne and Aleppo, while German carrier Sundair plans to launch direct flights from Berlin to Damascus on Aug. 1 and from Berlin to Aleppo on Oct. 1, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

The new services make Düsseldorf the fourth European city with direct flights to Syria, joining Amsterdam, Bucharest and Moscow.

Germany is home to the largest Syrian refugee population in Western Europe, with more than one million Syrians residing in the country. 

Syrian aviation authorities said the restored routes are expected to provide easier travel for Syrian expatriates while also encouraging tourism and business travel between the two countries.

Romanian carrier Dan Air became the first European Union airline to resume scheduled flights to Syria last year with services between Bucharest and Damascus.

International air connections to Syria were largely suspended after the civil war began in 2011, forcing many Syrians to travel through neighboring Lebanon or Jordan to reach overseas destinations. 

The conflict ended with the collapse of former President Bashar Assad’s government in December 2024.

The restoration of direct flights follows renewed diplomatic engagement between Berlin and Damascus. 

Earlier this year, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to discuss bilateral cooperation, investment opportunities and the voluntary return of Syrian refugees.