Syria’s Cham Wings Airlines begins flights to Bahrain

Cham Wings was sanctioned by the US government for allegedly helping the Syrian government in the civil war.

A major Syrian airline has begun flights to Bahrain. 

A spokesperson for Cham Wings Airlines told Al-Monitor today that flights are available to Bahrain International Airport via the carrier’s Kuwait route. The flights run every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, according to the spokesperson. 

Some Arabic-language media outlets reported on Feb. 28 that the Damascus-based airline had begun flight services to Bahrain. 

Why it matters:

In 2016, the US government sanctioned Cham Wings Airlines, accusing it of supporting the Syrian government in its war against rebel groups. The privately owned airline allegedly helped the government “transport militants” to the country and assisted with “moving weapons and equipment” for Syrian military intelligence, the Treasury Department said in a release at the time. 

The department further accused Cham Wings of facilitating money laundering via its Damascus-to-Dubai flights. 

What’s next: 

Bahrain is not yet listed as a destination on Cham Wings Airlines’ official website, though Kuwait is. The airline also no longer flies to Dubai, according to the website. 

Like other Gulf states, Bahrain cut off relations with Syria following the outbreak of the civil war in 2011. Bahrain’s relations with Syria have warmed in recent years, however. In 2018, the then foreign ministers of both countries met at the United Nations in New York. This past December, Bahrain reappointed an ambassador to Syria.