Syrian Airlines, the renowned national carrier of Syria, has recently made significant changes to its official website following the recent political upheaval in the country. Reports from Pilotcenter.net News indicate that all images of former President Bashar al-Assad have been removed from the airline's online platform. This decision comes in the wake of the regime's overthrow by militia forces associated with the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Islamic movement during the weekend of December 7 and 8, 2024.

After the fall of the Assad regime, it is noted that Assad fled the country on December 7, 2024, via private jet as HTS forces advanced towards the capital city of Damascus, having already taken control of key cities such as Homs and Aleppo in preceding days. Seeking refuge, Assad, along with his family and key officials, arrived in Moscow and were granted political asylum by President Putin.

Previously, Syrian Airlines' website prominently featured an image of Assad disembarking from one of the carrier's aircraft. However, this imagery has since been replaced with visuals of flight crews and an Airbus A340 aircraft taking off, adorned in the airline's signature blue and white colors. Notably, the national flag on the homepage has been updated to reflect the 'Independence Flag' featuring three red stars at its center, signifying the changing political landscape.

While Syrian Airlines has not yet released an official statement regarding the temporary halt in flight operations since December 8, 2024, the airline representative hinted at the possibility of resuming services, potentially including international flights to destinations like Moscow, from December 18, 2024. Meanwhile, Aleppo International Airport (ALP) is anticipated to reopen by the evening of December 17, 2024, as the new leadership endeavors to normalize air travel operations in and out of the country.

Operating under US sanctions since the early 1980s, Syrian Airlines, or Syrianair, has faced challenges in expanding its services and route network due to restrictions on aircraft procurement and spare parts. The airline's fleet currently comprises eight Airbus A320s, two A340-300s, two Tupolev Tu-134Bs, and two Ilyushin Il-76 cargo planes. However, maintenance issues have left six A320s and both A340s grounded due to parts unavailability.

Prior to the political shift, Syrianair operated four routes to five destinations across three countries. Cham Wings Airlines, Syria's other mainline carrier, operates with a fleet of five A320s serving two routes to three destinations. However, both carriers have been impacted by international sanctions in recent years, notably affecting their European flight operations.