Syrian Arab Airlines could be eyeing ATR to ease sanctions pain

ATR has declined to confirm whether it is holding discussions with the airline but says it is talking to a lot of airlines across the MENA region.

According to online data specialist ATI, The carrier is operating under US Government sanctions which have prevented it from proceeding with a fleet-renewal programme centred on Airbus aircraft and says it is unclear the extent to which restrictions could affect any deal involving ATR aircraft, which are fitted with Pratt & Whitney Canada engines.

Iran has long been under US sanctions but Iranian operator Aseman Airlines has several ATRs in its fleet.

The Damascus-based carrier has been under a lot of pressure and at the AACO annual general meeting in Saudi in October raised the possibility that it might be forced to halt services completely because of the restrictions placed on fleet maintenance.

It was reported that three Airbus A320s were awaiting maintenance checks which cannot proceed under the current sanctions regime, and Syrian Arab Airlines chief Ghaida Abdullatif said the situation is "very critical".

Abdullatif expressed her frustration during the Jeddah conference saying: "This must not be against the people. It's not fair for us." She said the carrier is a commercial, not political, organisation but is nevertheless was being made to suffer. "I have 6,000 employees," she says. "They have to eat. Every month I must give them a salary."

Abdullatif says the carrier's "top priority" is safety, and has tp withdraw aircraft from service until maintenance requirements are met. The airline has been to Russia to look at leasing TupolevTu-204 aircraft as  an interim arrangement.