Aviation body discusses safety of flying over Syria

AMMAN — The first regional coordination meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) started on Sunday in Amman to ensure safety procedures required for the resumption of aerial movement through the Syrian airspace.

The meeting, hosted by the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC), discusses issues related to the safety of operational procedures in the Syrian airspace and neighbouring countries, including the challenges that may hinder the flow of air movement, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The gathering also addresses recommended measures to overcome such challenges, in a way that can support civil aviation commissions and airline companies regarding their decisions to resume operations over Syria. 

The two-day meeting sees the participation of experts from civil aviation commissions in the Middle East and regional members of the ICAO, as well as local and international airline companies. 

Earlier in March, the CARC granted Jordanian airlines permission to fly in Syrian airspace, seven years after banning the use of the airspace in 2012. 

The CARC stipulated that airline companies wishing to fly in Syrian airspace must present an evaluation study of flight risk, use a specified air route and altitude and take necessary precautions to ensure that safety is maximised. 

The commission added that it was still evaluating the conditions of Syrian airports, especially Damascus International Airport. 

In January, the CARC sent a technical delegation that employed international standards of evaluation to assess the risks associated with flying in Syrian airspace.

In 2012, Royal Jordanian halted flights over Syria, and re-routed its flights and operations from Amman to Beirut, causing the airline to incur losses of JD19.4 million, the airline previously said.