DAMASCUS, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- A delegation from the Omani airways visited Damascus' international airport to check the technical status of the airfield as a prelude to resuming flights to Syria, state-run SANA news agency reported Saturday.

The delegation visited Damascus over the past two days, said the report, citing Shafa al-Nouri, head of the Syrian Airways.

According to al-Nouri, Bahrain's Gulf Air and the Etihad Airways of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have applied to visit the airport to conduct a similar technical check as part of the work to resume flights to Syria.

The return of Arab airways' service in Damascus comes on the heels of the recent detente in the diplomatic relations between Arab countries and Syria after more than seven years of tension.

In late December last year, the UAE repened its embassy in Damascus after seven years. On the same day, Bahrain announced the resumption of the work of its embassy in Damascus.