The Director General of Syrian Airlines, Hatem Kabas, announced the commencement of work of a private company (unnamed) within Syrian Airlines within a month from today.

In a press statement today, Wednesday, July 24, Kabas said that the private company, which has signed a contract for the management, development, and investment of Syrian Airlines, will handle planning and organization related to aviation, while the institution’s role will be limited to monitoring the implementation of the signed contract provisions.

In July 2023, an investigation conducted by Enab Baladi, based on open sources through the official gazette, revealed that Bashar and Asma al-Assad established a private company that obtained investment contracts in the aviation sector in Syria, named “Eloma,” through obscure names directly linked to the presidential palace.

Kabas clarified that the investment by the private company will not cause any changes to the name “Syrian Airlines” or its logo, as the private company’s role will be limited to management.

Earlier this July, a knowledgeable source within the Syrian Airlines stated that several anticipated improvements would occur in the institution’s work in the coming days, explaining that the improvements include several aspects, starting from facilities at Damascus International Airport, adding some ground equipment, enhancing salaries and wages for workers, including pilots and technicians, adding several aircraft to the civil aviation fleet, and repairing and re-commissioning grounded aircraft, among other things.

According to the investigation by Enab Baladi, the purpose of Eloma company is to manage and invest in facilities operating in the field of tourism and airport services, enter bids and tenders with the public sector, purchase shares and stakes in all types of companies, participate or contribute to their establishment or management, and acquire the necessary land and real estate to achieve the company’s objectives, except for building and trading in residential properties.

About five months after its establishment, the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection approved the resolution of Eloma company’s extraordinary general assembly, which included unanimous approval to amend the company’s objectives by adding the activity of managing airlines and airports.

Flights to Bahrain soon

The Director General of Syrian Airlines, Hatem Kabas, stated that flights to Bahrain are expected to commence by the end of this month.

This statement comes after the operation of a second weekly flight to Riyadh, based on increased demand, following the launch of the first flight from Damascus to Riyadh on July 10, after a hiatus of nearly 12 years.

Over the past years, numerous criticisms have surfaced regarding poor service and chaos at Syrian airports, both technically and operationally, alongside accusations against staff of taking bribes and extorting departing or arriving passengers for money.