Damascus: Syrian Airlines will begin operating direct and regular flights from Damascus to the Austrian capital Vienna and Denmark's capital Copenhagen on Sept. 21, Syria's civil aviation authority announced Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, Omar al-Hosari, head of Syria's General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport, informed the SANA news agency that these new routes are part of ongoing efforts to expand the national carrier's international network and to strengthen air links between Syria and Europe.

Al-Hosari highlighted that the authority is pursuing two parallel strategies: expanding Syrian Airlines' network and its regional and international presence, while also attracting Arab and foreign airlines to operate services to Syrian airports. He mentioned that additional international destinations for Syrian Airlines would be announced in the near future, along with the entry of new foreign carriers into the Syrian market and the opening of more routes to and from the country.

This announcement comes in the wake of the resumption of a direct air connection between Germany and Syria earlier this month, after an interruption of approximately 14 years. The first direct flight from Berlin Brandenburg Airport arrived at Damascus International Airport on Aug. 11, operated by the German carrier Sundair, marking the restoration of direct air links between the Syrian and German capitals.