Syrian Arab Airlines is yet to finalise an agreement to renew its fleet, as the carrier awaits appropriate clearance to import Western-built aircraft.
The airline is still subject to US sanctions against the Syrian government that have blocked attempts to modernise.
But the carrier's new chairman and managing director Ghaida Abdullatif has confirmed that the airline is arranging to acquire 50 aircraft to meet a 20-year fleet plan.
"It depends on the import licence," Abdullatif told Flight International during the Arab Air Carriers Organisation conference in Tunis. She would not confirm the types involved, but the flag carrier is primarily an Airbus operator and has previously sought to obtain new Airbus jets.
 |
|---|
© Rog.C Gallery on Flightglobal.com/airspace |
Abdullatif says the carrier has only six operational aircraft and she hopes an agreement can be reached on a lease arrangement, although she declines to indicate whether a deal is close.
According to Flight's ACAS database, the airline's Western-built fleet comprises six Airbus A320s, six Boeing 727s and two 747SPs. It also has a variety of old Soviet designs including Antonov turboprops, Ilyushin Il-76s, Tupolev Tu-154s and Yakovlev Yak-40s.
Source: Flight International
