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Damascus International Airport has officially resumed operations with the first flight since the downfall of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad departing for Aleppo International Airport on Wednesday, ������'s Arabic language sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

The flight, an Airbus operated by Syrian Air, carried 43 passengers, including journalists.

It marked the first flight since Assad's ouster, as a lightning rebel offensive launched on 27 November wrested control of city after city from his regime leading to a grounding of flights,

Assad fled the country as his army and security forces abandoned Damascus Airport on 8 December. Until Wednesday, no flights had taken off or landed.

Earlier this week, airport staff painted the three-star independence flag - a symbol of the 2011 uprising and the emblem adopted by Syria's new administration - on planes.

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, the flight on Wednesday was a test run with technical crews only. Mohammad Abdel Baki, a travel agency employee, noted on Facebook that a full flight schedule would be established once all technical preparations were completed.

Many Syrians abroad were eagerly awaiting the airport's return to full service to return to their homeland.

"I left Syria in 2012 and spent seven years in Portugal until I got citizenship," Abdel Moneim Issa, a citizen of Portugal told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. "Since then, I have travelled to several countries. I am now waiting for the airport to reopen so I can visit my family without having to transit through multiple countries."

No official statements have been issued regarding the costs of fully restoring Damascus International Airport, which has suffered extensive damage to its runways, buildings, and navigation systems over the years, in part due to Israeli airstrikes.

Upgrades to meet international safety standards - long neglected by the former regime - are necessary, along with training personnel to handle modern technology and safety procedures.

Located 25 kilometres (around 15.5 miles) east of Damascus, the airport was established in 1970 and serves as the hub for Syrian Air and Cham Wings Airlines.

The passenger terminal includes departure and arrival halls, business and first-class lounges, airline offices, VIP rooms, restaurants, cafes, and shops. The airport has a capacity of about 5 million passengers per year.

After the Syrian revolution began in 2011, flights to and from Damascus International Airport drastically decreased.

Operations were limited to Syrian Air and Cham Wings Airlines, the latter established in 2007 by the Shamout Group, which is believed to have had close ties to figures in the former regime. Other operators included Iranian carriers such as Iran Air and Mahan Air.

Founded in 1946, Syrian Air initially operated with two Cessna Master planes and expanded in the 1990s with four DC-6 aircraft.

By 2008, the fleet included Boeing 727s and Airbus A320s. The former regime often cited sanctions as the reason for its inability to maintain or expand the fleet, which currently consists of 12 aircraft, including 8 Airbus A320s.

In 2018, the General Company for Roads and Bridges announced a contract to repair the airport’s runways at an estimated cost of 1.5 billion Syrian pounds (around $100 million).

In 2017, the company completed repairs to the road leading to the airport and the Damascus International Fairgrounds at a cost of approximately $1.15 million.

This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition. To read the original article click .