This isn't about skepticism, but rather a professional responsibility I've shouldered for thirty years in the Syrian civil aviation sector. The national carrier, Syrian Airlines, is no longer facing fleeting crises; it now stands before a genuine existential threat that demands bold and immediate reform decisions, far removed from patchwork solutions.
Planning and Operational Failures
The decision to reopen Damascus International Airport following recent events, despite its national importance, was made without sufficient economic or operational studies. The field was opened to low-cost carriers without prior policies to protect the national carrier, which currently lacks even the most basic elements of competitiveness against modern fleets and superior marketing capabilities.
Structural Chaos and Conflicts of Interest
The ambiguous relationship between Syrian Airlines and the General Authority of Civil Aviation must be reviewed. International standards dictate that the Civil Aviation Authority should be an independent regulatory and supervisory body, not an intervening party in the management of the national operator, to prevent the conflicts of interest and lack of transparency we are experiencing today.
Aviation Security and Safety: Up in the Air
Technically, the situation is deeply concerning. The radar system has suffered from inefficiencies for years, with increasing reliance on human intervention in air traffic control despite the complexities of the work. Furthermore, the absence of modern automated approach systems at Damascus and Aleppo airports forces operations to depend on visual observation in certain weather conditions, compelling us to divert flights and incurring the associated financial burdens and disruptions for passengers. Airport development is not achieved through media spectacles, but rather through modernizing infrastructure and air navigation systems. Exclusive Reports
A Question Without Accusation
There are pressing questions, dictated by national necessity, regarding the contract signed with UCC, the operator of Damascus International Airport. What are the details of this contract? And what is the amount of revenue flowing into the state treasury? The ambiguity surrounding these partnerships, coupled with bureaucratic inefficiencies and personal interference in the management of the Syrian Airlines Holding Company, hinders any genuine reform process. The lack of transparency regarding the financial benefits and exorbitant compensations received by some board members, at a time when the institution is suffering from a severe financial crisis, is also perplexing.
Brain Drain: Pilots Facing Poverty
The real catastrophe lies in the exploitation of human resources. Since December 2024, pilots' and technical staff's salaries have been reduced to "refundable loans" amidst harsh living conditions, while regional companies lure our talent with better benefits. Worse still is the policy of driving away skilled personnel, depriving pilots of their most basic professional rights, such as access to experience certificates and employment records.
A Conclusion from a Syrian with a Broken Heart
The aviation sector is not merely numbers and airports; it is the face of the nation, the lifeblood of its economy, and the safety of its passengers. This message is a plea to awaken regulatory bodies and the incoming parliament to open the files on civil aviation with complete transparency, hold those in charge accountable, and develop a genuine rescue plan before we find ourselves facing an irreversible collapse.
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