Etihad Airways has laid out plans to restart operations to Damascus, 14 years after the civil war in Syria made it too dangerous to fly to the country. On September 19, 2025, Etihad announced that a new four-weekly service to Damascus, the capital of Syria, will begin in June 2026. Antonoaldo Neves, CEO at Etihad Airways, said: “This new route reflects our commitment to connecting people to the places that matter most to them. According to Etihad, trade between the UAE and Syria during 2024 grew 23% year-on-year, reaching $680 million. Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways have already restarted flights to Syria this year.