One of the halls of Beirut International Airport. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin)
BEIRUT — Middle East Airlines flights to Beirut are fully booked until Jan. 1, and the company is prepared to schedule additional flights for the upcoming holiday season, a company source told L'Orient Today.
The surge in bookings follows the cease-fire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, which took effect on Wednesday. The truce appears to have encouraged many to visit Lebanon during the holidays.
According to al-Modon newspaper, Arab and international airlines that suspended operations to Lebanon during the war are expected to gradually resume flights in the coming weeks.
Al-Modon reported that Turkish Airlines plans to resume flights on Dec. 4, with services increasing throughout the month. Qatar Airways is set to return on Dec. 9, while Etihad Airways will follow on Dec. 18.
Citing airport sources, Al-Modon noted that Iraqi airlines have already resumed flights to Beirut, while Egyptian airlines are preparing to restart operations. However, European airlines have yet to make moves to resume flights to Lebanon, and their airport staff have not received any updates about a potential return.
