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Damascus International Airport

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Damascus International Airport (Arabic: مَطَار دِمَشْق الدَّوْلِيّ, romanized: Maṭār Dimašq ad-Duwaliyy) (IATA: DAM, ICAO: OSDI) is the international airport of Damascus, the capital of Syria. Inaugurated in the mid-1970s, it also was the country's busiest airport. In 2010, an estimated 5.5 million passengers used the airport, an increase of more than 50% since 2004.[2] The ongoing civil war has caused many airlines to terminate their flights to and from Damascus, cutting much of the city's population off from international flights.

Damascus International Airport

مطار دمشق الدولي

Maṭār Dimašq al-Duwaliyy
Summary
Airport typeJoint
(civil and military air base)
OwnerGovernment of Syria
OperatorDirectorate General of Civil Aviation
ServesDamascus, Syria
Opened1973; 51 years ago (1973)[1]
Hub for
Built1965
Time zoneAST (UTC+03:00)
Elevation AMSL616 m / 2,020 ft
Coordinates33°24′41″N 36°30′56″E / 33.41139°N 36.51556°E / 33.41139; 36.51556
Websitewww.damascus-airport.com
Map
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
05R/23L 3,600 11,811 Asphalt
05L/23R 3,598 11,804 Asphalt
Statistics (2010)
Passengers5,500,000 (Increase50.1%)

The airport has also been previously damaged many times in airstrikes carried out by the Israel Air Force. Damascus International Airport serves as a primary gateway to Syria and is one of the largest airports in the country along with Aleppo International Airport and Bassel Al-Assad International Airport.

History

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Establishment and early years

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Jawaharlal Nehru at Damascus Airport

In 1965 the construction of the airport was entrusted to a group of French companies (SCB, CSF, Spie and Cegelec), led by the SCB.[3] Damascus Airport was opened in the late 1960s, replacing the old Mazzeh military airport that previously served as the city's main aviation hub. The airport was built to accommodate the growing air traffic and to enhance Syria's connectivity with the rest of the world. In the 1980s, the airport was served by over 30 airlines and had nonstop flights to destinations in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.[4] It was also a stop-over on a Pakistan International Airlines route from Karachi and Islamabad to New York and Toronto.[5]

In the following years, Damascus Airport underwent several expansion and modernisation projects in order to meet the increasing demands of international and domestic travellers.[6] New terminals, runways, and facilities were constructed to enhance passenger services and improve operational efficiency. In March 2007, Iran Air inaugurated a flight from Tehran to Caracas via Damascus.[7] Its codeshare partner Conviasa took over the route seven months later.[8][9]

Civil war: 2011–present

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Since the onset of the Syrian Civil War, the airport and the road leading to it have been closed intermittently and most international airlines, such as Emirates and EgyptAir, have ceased flights.[10] Conviasa ended its direct service to Caracas in August 2012.[11] In 2018, flights to Russia started.

In June 2022, Damascus International Airport suffered major damage, including to runways, following an Israeli missile attack, targeting alleged Iranian weapons transfers.[12][13] Flights were halted to and from the airport for two weeks due to the extensive damage to infrastructure.[14] On 2 January 2023, Damascus International Airport temporarily went out of service after another Israeli missile strike.[15] The airport reopened after 7 hours and restarted services.[16] It is announced that Syrian Airlines plans to establish a joint venture with a private company to invest, manage, and operate its activities and those of the airport.[17]

On 12 October 2023, Damascus International Airport was temporarily closed due to a damaged runway following Israeli missile attacks on both it and Aleppo International Airport, during the skirmishes which occurred across the border in connection with the Israel–Hamas war.[18] The airport was put back into service on 18 October.[19] On 22 October, both Aleppo and Damascus airports were hit simultaneously, putting them out of service for the second time within two weeks.[20] Two workers were killed during the attack.[21]

  • On January 2, 2023, the airport was targeted by an Israeli bombardment that killed four personnel and put the airport out of service.  It returned to operation hours later after the damage was repaired.
  • On October 12, 2023, Damascus Airport and Aleppo Airport were targeted by barrages of missiles from Israel , damaging the runways and putting them out of service.  The airport returned to operation on October 18, 2023.
  • On October 22, 2023, Damascus and Aleppo airports were targeted for the second time in ten days by barrages of rockets from Israel , from the direction of the Mediterranean Sea west of Latakia and from the direction of the Golan Heights . The targeting resulted in the death of a civilian worker, the injury of another, and material damage to the runways of the two airports, putting them out of service.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the targeting, considering it a violation of international and humanitarian law and potentially plunging the region into a wider cycle of violence that would be difficult to contain.  The airport did not return to service until more than a month later.
  • On November 26, 2023, hours after the airport was put back into service from the previous attack, Israel targeted the airport with missiles, causing material losses and putting the airport out of service again.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the attack and considering it a threat to peace and security in the region and the world, and said that Israel would pay the price for its foolishness and recklessness.  The airport returned to service on December 27, 2023 without an official announcement.

Facilities

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Terminals

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Duty-free shops in 2007
 
Aerial view of DAM

The airport is of Islamic architecture, and has two terminals, one for international flights and the other for domestic flights. The airport features two duty-free outlets. The departures hall also includes an in-house coffee shop, several souvenir shops, three restaurants, and a lounge for first and business class passengers.[22] The southern part of the airport has hardened aircraft shelters and artillery revetments.[23] The second terminal have a capacity to handle 25 million passengers.[24]

The construction of a third terminal is planned but its construction has been postponed due to the civil war, which is ongoing.[25] The third terminal was intended to increase the capacity of the airport to 16 million passengers per year.[25] Russia will be investing in expansion of the airport, with development of new terminal.[25]

Runways

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Airport tower in 2007

The current runways allow the landing of virtually all types of aircraft currently in use in the world (including Airbus A380, Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Boeing 747-8). The airport has two parallel runways (05R/23L and 05L/23R), which were completely renovated in the 2010s. Their 3600 meters (11800 feet) allow smooth and permanent air traffic.[26]

Future projects

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In 2023, the Government of Syria announced that it is considering to transfer 49% of the airport to a private entity.[27][28] According to many sources Russia and Iran are planning to invest in the airport's development and building of a new international terminal, which would have a capacity of up to 15 million passengers per year.[29]

Airlines and destinations

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AirlinesDestinations
Air Algérie[30]Algiers
Caspian Airlines Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Cham Wings Airlines[31] Abu Dhabi, Aleppo, Baghdad, Basra, Beirut, Benghazi, Erbil, Karachi, Kuwait City, Lahore,[32] Moscow–Sheremetyevo, Muscat, Najaf, Qamishli, Sharjah, Tehran–Imam Khomeini, Yerevan
FlyBaghdad Baghdad, Erbil, Najaf
FlyErbil Erbil[33]
Mahan Air Tehran–Imam Khomeini
Meraj Airlines Mashhad, Tehran–Imam Khomeini[34]
Pakistan International Airlines Islamabad,[35] Karachi,[36] Lahore[36]
Syrian Air[37] Abu Dhabi, Algiers, Amman–Queen Alia, Bahrain, Baghdad, Beirut, Cairo, Doha, Dubai–International, Jeddah,[38] Kuwait City, Latakia, Misrata, Moscow–Vnukovo, Najaf, Qamishli, Riyadh,[39] Sharjah
Seasonal: Dammam,[39] Medina[40]
UR Airlines[41] Baghdad, Najaf

Ground transportation

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Located 30 kilometers (20 miles) southeast of Damascus, It is in the governate of Rif-Dimashq. The facility is connected to the city by a highway. A shuttle bus runs between the city center and the airport. The building of a railway line and a terminal bus station with a shopping center at the airport is planned to connect it to the Hejaz station.

Accidents and incidents

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  • On 20 August 1975, ČSA Flight 540 crashed while on approach to Damascus International Airport. Out of the 128 passengers and crew on board, there were only two survivors.

References

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  1. ^ "New Damascus International Airport". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  2. ^ "The Report: Syria 2010" Archived 29 August 2009 at the Wayback Machine,
  3. ^ AFP (1 April 1965). "Un groupe de firmes françaises va construire l'aéroport international de Damas" (in French). Le Monde. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Airlines and Aircraft Serving Damascus Effective January 15, 1989". Official Airline Guide: Worldwide Edition. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Airlines and Aircraft Serving Toronto Effective January 15, 1989". Official Airline Guide: Worldwide Edition. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Syrian History - Damascus Airport - 1948". w.syrianhistory.com. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  7. ^ Spaeth, Andreas (17 June 2007). "Nach Diktatur verreist". Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 25 June 2007. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  8. ^ "La compañía venezolana Conviasa inaugura la ruta Caracas-Teherán con escala en Damasco". Notimérica (in Spanish). 7 October 2007. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  9. ^ Romero, Simon (3 March 2007). "Venezuela and Iran Strengthen Ties With Caracas-to-Tehran Flight". The New York Times. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Damascus under siege". Salon. 11 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Conviasa resumes Syria service from late-May 2023". AeroRoutes. 25 March 2023. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
  12. ^ "'Heavy' damage to Damascus airport confirmed after Israeli attack". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  13. ^ Harel, Amos (12 June 2022). "Analysis | Israel Shut Down Damascus Airport to Thwart Weapons Smuggling From Iran". Haaretz.
  14. ^ "Israeli strike on Damascus airport in June halted aid in Syria for two weeks: UN". Al Arabiya English. 14 September 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  15. ^ Al-Khalidi, Suleiman (2 January 2023). "Syria says Israel strike puts Damascus airport briefly out of service". Reuters. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Damascus airport reopens after Israeli raid kills Syrian soldiers". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Government to Establish Public-Private Company to Operate Damascus Airport". Syria Report. Retrieved 8 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Syria says Israeli missiles hit Damascus, Aleppo airports". Reuters. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Syria's Damascus airport to be back in service as of 'tomorrow afternoon' -State TV". Reuters. 17 October 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Syria says Israel hit Damascus, Aleppo airports again amid Gaza bombing". Al Jazeera. 22 October 2023.
  21. ^ "Israeli air strikes kill two workers at Syria's Damascus airport, official says". Reuters. 22 October 2023.
  22. ^ Natalia Atfee (November 2005). "Les grands projets urbains de Damas". Archive ouverte HAL (in French). Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  23. ^ "Strike at Damascus Airport: Israel Shows How it's Done". 30 April 2017.
  24. ^ https://ayoubahmad.com/damascus-airport-terminal-2 [bare URL]
  25. ^ a b c airport, Damascus international. "Damascus airport". www.damascus-airport.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  26. ^ airport, Damascus international. "Damascus airport". www.damascus-airport.com. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  27. ^ Sh (3 July 2023). "Partnership Between State and Private Sector to Manage and Operate Damascus Airport". The Syrian Observer. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  28. ^ Cash-strapped Syrian regime hawks national airport to Iran-linked front company
  29. ^ "Russian investors eye Damascus new airport construction". TASS. 19 January 2019. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  30. ^ Air Algérie reprend le chemin de Madrid, Damas et Beyrouth
  31. ^ chamwings.com - Our destinations retrieved 27 January 2021
  32. ^ Louay Houssamo (18 November 2024). "وصول أول رحلة جوية لشركة أجنحة الشام من دمشق إلى مطار لاهور في ‏باكستان". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 19 November 2024.
  33. ^ "FlyErbil Adds Berlin / Damascus Service in 2Q23".
  34. ^ "Three Iranian cargo planes that landed in Damascus on Sunday were the reason behind Israel's attack last night". 20 December 2022.
  35. ^ PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES AUGUST 2024 DAMASCUS OPERATIONS
  36. ^ a b PAKISTAN INTERNATIONAL SCHEDULES EXTRA DAMASCUS SERVICE IN AUG 2024
  37. ^ syrianair.com retrieved 27 January 2021
  38. ^ Rafah al-Allouni and Ruaa al-Jazaeri (27 October 2024). "Syrian Airlines: Resuming flights between Damascus and Jeddah airports". Syrian Arab News Agency. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  39. ^ a b "المفاوضات بخصوص طائرتي «السورية» متواصلة … كباس لـ«الوطن»: تشغيل رحلات نظامية بين مطاري دمشق والرياض اعتباراً من 7 تموز" [Negotiations regarding the two “Syrian” planes are continuing... Kabas to “Al-Watan”: Operating regular flights between Damascus and Riyadh airports as of July 7]. Al Watan.sy. 11 June 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  40. ^ Syrian Air carries its first Hajj trips after a 12-years halt.
  41. ^ "UR Airlines destinations". flightradar24.com. FlightRadar24. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
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