The airline announced the restart of its flights, which had been halted on April 1, 2012, citing the ongoing conflict. The first flight, TK 846, departed from Istanbul Airport heading to Damascus, marking a significant step in the restoration of direct air travel between the two countries.
A total of 349 passengers boarded the flight after passing through passport control.
One of the passengers, Fatma Zahra, shared her emotional journey as she returned to her homeland. Having arrived in Turkey at the age of two, Fatma was visiting Syria for the first time. In an interview, she said, “I’m 14 now, and I’ve never seen my country before. I’m excited to finally visit my homeland. We are traveling from Damascus to Aleppo to visit my grandmother.”
