Russian airline halts flights to Damascus

DAMASCUS, Syria, Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Russian airline Aeroflot on Monday suspended all flights from Moscow to Damascus, citing "commercial reasons," officials said.

While flights from Damascus to Moscow have been overbooked recently, flights back to the Syrian capital have been nearly empty, The Moscow Times reported.

An Aeroflot official told RIA Novosti on July 23 the airline planned to "close this route because of commercial reasons."

Starting Monday, people looking to fly from Moscow to Damascus will have to use a different airline and make one or two layovers.