<b>Follow the latest </b><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2024/12/07/syria-live-news/" target="_blank"><b>development in Syria here</b></a> Flights are suspended at Damascus International Airport following the collapse of the Syrian government. On Sunday, Syria's Sham FM radio reported that the airport in the capital city had been evacuated and all flights halted after the city fell to rebel forces overnight. A representative of Fly & More Travel, a Dubai travel agent for Cham Wings Airlines, confirmed the news. “For now, there are no flights. We are awaiting further information from our company regarding the resumption of services,” the representative told <i>The National</i> on Sunday morning. Online information from <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/aviation/2024/11/19/dubai-airports-q4-passenger-traffic-forecast-to-grow-35-on-holiday-travel/" target="_blank">Dubai International Airport</a>, shows that Cham Wings's flight number RB517 scheduled to land in Dubai at 6.40pm on Sunday from Damascus was cancelled. Flight RB 515 operating the same route on Monday also shows as cancelled. Flight tracking website Flightradar24 corroborates news of the airport's closure, with the latest data showing no aircraft landing or departing from Damascus. AFP has reported that Syrian military and security forces had left Damascus airport. Video shared on social media on Sunday showed travellers hurrying through security checkpoints and running towards departure gates at Damascus airport before flights were grounded. Middle East Airlines, the national airline of Lebanon, announced changes to departure times on flights operating between Beirut and Dubai on Monday. The airline cited “changes in the flight route avoiding Syrian airspace” as the reason, with flights departing up to an hour earlier than scheduled. The airlines' other scheduled flights are operating as normal. While many airlines in the Middle East have long since suspended flights to Syria because of unrest, some other airlines continued to operate, including Cham Wings, a private Syrian airline, as well as Syrian Air, the country's national airline. On Sunday, a flydubai representative confirmed that the closure of Damascus International Airport is not affecting its operations. “There is no impact to our flight schedule<i>.</i> Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, also confirmed that there were no changes to its flight schedule. UAE airlines, including major carriers Emirates and Etihad Airways, already adhere to a long-standing directive from the General Civil Aviation Authority to avoid Syrian airspace. The shutdown of the airport in Syria's capital city comes five days after <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/travel/2024/12/02/aleppo-airport-closed/" target="_blank">flights were suspended at Aleppo </a>airport in the north of the country, also because of fighting in the country as rebel forces advanced.