Syria Airspace Transition — Damascus FIR (OSTT)
2026 transitional period & airspace monitoring
The Damascus FIR (OSTT) — covering Syrian sovereign airspace including OSDI (Damascus International), OSAP (Aleppo International), and OSLK (Latakia) — is in a transitional operational period during 2026. Gradual reopening to international overflight is underway after an extended period of sustained advisories. Carrier return is phased. Cross-border coordination with neighbouring FIRs LTAA (Ankara), OJAC (Amman), OLBB (Beirut), and ORBB (Baghdad) is being progressively restored. Historical EASA CZIB and FAA SFAR applicability is under formal review.
Executive summary
The Damascus FIR (OSTT) — covering OSDI (Damascus International), OSAP (Aleppo International), and OSLK (Latakia) — is in a transitional operational period during 2026. International overflight is being phased back in after an extended period of sustained advisories. Regional Middle East carriers have resumed scheduled rotations to OSDI; OSAP service remains more limited. Cross-border coordination with neighbouring FIRs LTAA (Ankara), OJAC (Amman), OLBB (Beirut), and ORBB (Baghdad) is being progressively restored under ICAO MID region procedures. Historical EASA CZIB and FAA SFAR notices covering Syrian airspace are under formal review. Status remains restricted with the trajectory of change visible in successive AIRAC cycles. The next review window should track ICAO MID, EASA, and FAA publication updates.
FIR-by-FIR status
| ICAO | Status | Last change | Source | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OSTT | RESTRICTED (transitional, phased reopening) | 2026 transitional cycle | ICAO MID region publications; Syrian CAA NOTAM stream | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| LTAA | Open — cross-border coordination progressively restored (Ankara) | Routine operations | ICAO EUR/NAT documentation; Turkish DHMI publications | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| OJAC | Open — cross-border coordination progressively restored (Amman) | Routine operations | ICAO MID documentation; Jordan CARC publications | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| OLBB | Open — cross-border coordination progressively restored (Beirut) | Routine operations | ICAO MID documentation; Lebanon DGCA publications | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| ORBB | Open — cross-border coordination progressively restored (Baghdad) | Routine operations | ICAO MID documentation; Iraq CAA publications | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| LCCC | Reroute alternative — open (Nicosia) | Routine operations | FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
Regulatory context
ICAO Annex 11 §2.6 governs overflight permission protocols and continues to frame the cross-border coordination procedures between OSTT and neighbouring FIRs (LTAA, OJAC, OLBB, ORBB). ICAO MID region publications provide the procedural framework for the Damascus FIR during the 2026 transitional cycle. Historical EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIB) addressing Syrian airspace are under formal review during the transitional period; operators should consult the current published bulletin set directly. FAA Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) material historically applicable to Syrian airspace is similarly under review; the current SFAR list takes precedence over prior-cycle assumptions. EU Regulation 965/2012 ORO.GEN.110 requires operators to perform an independent airspace risk evaluation. Live NOTAM data remains the operational source of truth; this briefing does not replace direct NOTAM and AIP verification.
Industry implications
OSTT operational accessibility during the 2026 transitional period is improving in successive AIRAC cycles, but utilisation remains uneven across operator categories. Regional Middle East carriers have led the return to OSDI; carrier return to OSAP is more limited. Western long-haul carriers continue to evaluate scheduling decisions independently. Routing impact for east–west traffic between Europe and the Gulf is reduced versus the prior cycle: corridors that previously routed via LCCC (Nicosia) and ORBB (Baghdad) detours may shorten as OSTT availability stabilises. Cost projections require verified industry data and are not currently displayed. Insurers continue to price war and political-risk premiums for OSTT above regional baseline; lessor exposure tracking is sensitive to carrier-specific routing decisions. The structural trajectory is toward normalisation; pace depends on the ICAO MID, EASA, and FAA publication cycle.
Source lineage
- ICAO MID Region Publications retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins (CZIB) retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- FlySafe FIR Status Detection (24-hour zero-traffic threshold) retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- FlySafe Traffic Volume Monitoring retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- AIRAC Aeronautical Information Cycle retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
Related references
Update Log
- 2026-05-20 Migrated to FlySafe Sentinel continuous monitoring.
- 2026-05-20 Briefing registered for content-freshness monitoring.
Syria Airspace Transition — Frequently Asked Questions
Common search queries answered with current status, FIR codes, and source citations.
- Is the Damascus FIR (OSTT) open to international overflight in 2026?
- OSTT is operationally available with phased restrictions during the 2026 transitional period. Specific airways and altitude bands are subject to NOTAM amendments; portions previously associated with sustained advisories are being progressively restored. Status is verified against ICAO MID region publications, EASA bulletins, and the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority NOTAM stream.
- Which carriers are returning to Damascus (OSDI) and Aleppo (OSAP) in 2026?
- Carrier return is being phased. Regional Middle East operators and several intra-MENA carriers have resumed scheduled rotations to OSDI; OSAP rotations are more limited. Western long-haul carriers continue to evaluate scheduling decisions independently. Operational decisions remain at carrier level and depend on insurance, slot, and routing economics.
- Do EASA CZIB and FAA SFAR notices still apply to Syrian airspace?
- Historical EASA Conflict Zone Information Bulletins and the FAA Special Federal Aviation Regulation covering Syrian airspace are under formal review during the 2026 transitional period. Operators should consult the current published versions of EASA CZIB material and the FAA SFAR list directly rather than rely on prior-cycle assumptions.
FlySafe provides automated computation of numerical indices from publicly available data. Indices are raw computational output and do not represent opinions, assessments, recommendations, or advice of any kind. They do not replace official NOTAMs, SIGMETs, AIPs, or communications from aviation authorities. Operators must independently verify current airspace status through official channels. See Terms of Service for full details.