The United Nations aviation agency has withdrawn a security warning concerning Syrian airspace that had been in place for 13 years, according to Syrian officials. Omar al-Hosari, head of Syria’s General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, announced the decision after receiving confirmation from the International Civil Aviation Organization.
The previous advisory, issued on March 22, 2013, concerned the safety of civilian aircraft operating within the Damascus Flight Information Region. Al-Hosari said the UN agency confirmed this older warning would no longer serve as a basis for operational decisions.
Future risk assessments will rely on updated international aviation safety and security standards. Al-Hosari told the Syrian Arab News Agency that the move helps reintegrate Syrian airspace into the global aviation network.
The shift allows national civil aviation authorities, international governments, and global airlines to reassess their policies regarding flights crossing Syrian skies, alongside planes arriving and departing from Syrian airports.
Al-Hosari stated the policy change could help increase overflight traffic and encourage more international carriers to consider resuming services to the country. He emphasised that the UN decision would not automatically lift operational restrictions imposed by individual countries or independent regulators.
The ruling will support ongoing diplomatic and technical efforts to address these specific restrictions using internationally recognised safety evaluations. The Syrian authority is continuing to coordinate with the UN body and other international civil aviation entities to strengthen confidence in flight operations and expand regional connectivity.
Despite the UN agency’s decision, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency maintains a separate conflict-zone information bulletin covering Syrian airspace. That bulletin was revised on Oct. 1 and remains valid until Nov. 30, 2026.
Syria previously reopened its air corridors and resumed flight operations at Damascus International Airport in April following temporary closures linked to regional tensions. Al-Hosari said that restoring the country’s role in international air navigation is a priority.
Such a restoration can increase overall air traffic and support economic activity and investment within the national civil aviation sector.
