The arrivals hall at Beirut International Airport. (Credit: Illustration photo by Mohammad Yassine / L’Orient-Le Jour)
Public Works Minister Fayez Rassamny announced that Lebanese airspace reopened at 10 a.m. Saturday, in coordination with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, after being closed overnight amid the Iran-Israel escalation.
In a statement carried by the official National News Agency (NNA), Rassamny apologized to travelers whose flights were disrupted, emphasizing that the closures were imposed “purely for security reasons.”
“The safety of travelers and aviation facilities remains a top priority,” he added.
MEA resumes flights
Middle East Airlines (MEA), which earlier on Saturday had announced the suspension of its flights to Beirut until further notice, said it has resumed operations.
“Following the reopening of Lebanese airspace, MEA announces that all flights departing from Beirut scheduled after 1 p.m. Saturday and those arriving in Beirut after 2 p.m. are operational,” the airline said in a statement. It also noted that revised schedules for certain flights would be communicated to passengers.
Regional air traffic was heavily disrupted following Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s response. In the aftermath, around ten airlines adjusted their service to Beirut starting Friday.
