Syria Airspace
Current Status
The Damascus FIR (OSTT) has been under an EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletin since 2017. Following the December 2024 political transition, there has been cautious discussion about a phased reopening, but significant obstacles remain including fragmented territorial control and ongoing military operations by multiple parties.
Syrian ATC capabilities were severely degraded during the civil conflict. While Damascus Airport (OSDI) has resumed limited commercial operations with regional carriers, the broader FIR lacks the infrastructure and oversight required for safe international overflights. ICAO has not certified the new administration's ATC system.
The airspace remains a significant GPS spoofing and interference zone, with multiple military actors operating electronic warfare systems. Overflying traffic has been rerouted through Turkish, Jordanian, or maritime corridors for nearly a decade.
Key Risks
Multiple armed groups control different regions, making unified ATC and conflict deconfliction impossible.
Multiple foreign militaries conduct operations in Syrian airspace, creating uncoordinated military-civil conflicts.
Dense electronic warfare environment with GPS jamming and spoofing from multiple sources affecting the entire FIR.
Years of conflict destroyed radar and communication infrastructure. Rebuilding is ongoing but far from international standards.
Recent Events
EASA maintained CZIB for OSTT FIR despite new government's request for reassessment of airspace status.
Damascus Airport resumed limited regional flights to Amman and Dubai under transitional ATC procedures.
Regime change in Syria. New transitional authority began discussions with ICAO on airspace management.
Increased military activity in northern Syria led to temporary NOTAM closures of portions of OSTT FIR.
EASA & FAA Guidance
EASA CZIB 2017-01 (continuously renewed) advises EU operators to avoid the Damascus FIR (OSTT) at all flight levels. The FAA maintains a prohibition on US civil aviation in Syrian airspace. Despite the political transition, neither authority has indicated imminent reassessment, pending ICAO verification of ATC capabilities.
Related
This page provides publicly available information about airspace conditions. Always consult official sources (ICAO, EASA, FAA) for operational decisions.