Rassamny tours Beirut Airport following decision to reopen Lebanon's airspace

BEIRUT — Minister of Public Works and Transportation, Fayez Rassamny, toured the Beirut airport on Saturday to inspect the situation there after the decision to reopen Lebanon's airspace, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Regional air traffic was heavily disrupted following Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s response on Friday. In the aftermath, around 14 airlines adjusted their service from and to Beirut starting Friday. On Friday night, Lebanese civil aviation authorities closed its airspace until Saturday morning at ten o'clock.

According to NNA, the minister inspected the booking offices at the airport and the check-in counters and listened to the complaints and remarks of travelers after the rescheduling of flights.

The departure hall at the airport witnessed congestion on Saturday and the staff of the General Directorate of Civil Aviation and the airport security apparatus worked to organize and reduce congestion.

“The traffic and chaos at the airport today is normal as a result of the closure of the airspace earlier, and within a few hours everything will be resolved,” the minister said. He announced that “the airport will remain open unless there is an emergency beyond our control,” noting that Qatar Airways will operate three flights this evening to the Rafik Hariri International Airport of Beirut.

Finally, Rassamny reassured during his tour that the situation in Lebanon is safe, adding that the summer season in Lebanon is very beautiful.