Syrian Arab Airlines take delivery of two ATR 72-500 in fast turnaround to ease sanctions

Syrian Arab Airlines has taken delivery of the first of its two ATR 72-500 turboprops.

The white-tail arrived in Damascus yesterday after the flight from Toulouse.

A second ATR will be delivered tomorrow.

Arabian Aerospace reported in January that the Syrian airline – which has been beleaguered by US sanctions – was considering the turboprops to ease the pressure on regional routes following the grounding of some of the fleet which are waiting for sanctions to be lifted so as to get US manufactured parts.

The airline had met with the Franco-Italian joint venture at the Dubai Airshow and eventually agreed a deal in February.

ATR had two aircraft that had been cancelled by another customer and as the aircraft – and its component parts- had not been built or modified for sale to Syria , then the aircraft are understood to have passed the necessary requirements to avoid the sanctions.

The two aircraft are being painted in Syria before the airline enters them to service before the end of this month.