Etihad suspends flights to Damascus

Due to the worsening security situation in Syria, Etihad Airways has announced today that it is suspending all flights between Abu Dhabi and Damascus.

Etihad Airways has today suspended flights between Abu Dhabi and Damascus with immediate effect and until further notice.

In a statement it said that the decision - while not taken lightly - had been made due to the deteriorating security position in Syria and that the safety of passengers and crew is paramount to the airline.

Etihad Airways will notify affected passengers and offer a full refund for unused tickets.

Analyst Saj Ahmad commented: "The Syria situation is the only catalyst driving Etihad’s decision to suspend flights and with no clear direction on the status of security, it had little choice but to take this step.

“There has been talk of no fly zones and other flight restrictions, but Etihad's move could well precipitate other airlines to either withdraw flights or reduce frequencies.”

Ahmad concluded: “It's an unfortunate situation but safety of flight crew as well as passengers simply cannot be ignored."