A Middle East Airlines plane flies over Raouche as it approaches Beirut airport, on July 26, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L’Orient Today)
BEIRUT — Three months after U.S. President Donald Trump announced steps toward restoring direct flights between Lebanon and the United States, no launch date has yet been set. Lebanon's Middle East Airlines is still awaiting U.S. aviation approvals, while Beirut and Washington must address a number of regulatory, security and operational requirements before the route can resume, according to MEA and civil aviation sources who spoke to L’Orient Today Thursday.
Trump announced the measure after meeting President Joseph Aoun at the White House in July, opening the way for the restoration of direct air service between Lebanon and the United States after more than 40 years.
U.S. flights to Beirut had been suspended in 1985 following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847, which was flying from Athens to Rome when it was forced to land in Beirut.
Where does MEA's fleet stand?
A source at MEA told L’Orient Today Thursday that "there is no precise date for launching direct flights to the United States." The company is preparing to receive eight new aircraft between mid-November and the end of June 2027: four Airbus A330neos and four A321XLRs. "The aircraft are part of a previously planned fleet renewal and were not ordered specifically for the U.S. route. However, the A330neos are the aircraft expected to be suitable for a long-haul route such as Beirut-New York," the source explained.
"Discussions have taken place with U.S. authorities and further approvals and an audit are required before the route can move forward. Once we receive confirmation, they will conduct the audit. There is no precise date for the launch, with the route expected toward the end of 2027 or in 2028, depending on the U.S. civil aviation approval process," the source added.
What are the expected security measures?
A source at Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority told L’Orient Today Thursday that the process involves more than MEA’s fleet.
"Lebanon and the United States would need to work on a new air transport agreement," the source said, describing the existing agreement as "outdated."
The existing U.S.-Lebanon air transport agreement dates to 1972, with subsequent exchanges of notes, including in 1977. Such agreements set the legal framework for airlines from the two countries to operate flights between them, covering issues such as designated airlines, routes, operating rights and other regulatory matters.
"Since then, aviation has developed significantly, particularly when it comes to security and safety. It would be better to move forward with a new agreement," the source said.
Security and safety are separate parts of the broader process. In September, a workshop organized by Lebanon’s Public Works and Transport Ministry, with technical support from the World Bank, identified aviation safety, airport security and operational requirements, among other issues, as part of the work needed to restore direct flights to the United States.
The workshop also addressed Lebanon’s readiness for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s International Aviation Safety Assessment, or IASA, as well as U.S. Transportation Security Administration requirements for foreign airports and International Civil Aviation Organization standards.
The FAA’s IASA program assesses how a country’s civil aviation authority oversees safety, including its aviation legislation and regulations, licensing and certification, inspections and ability to address safety concerns. Airport security is assessed separately under the TSA’s foreign-airport security framework.
Beirut airport management
Beirut airport's management has historically involved overlapping responsibilities between state bodies and different security agencies. The independent Civil Aviation Authority provided for under a 2002 law was never established, while airport and Civil Aviation responsibilities have at times been held by the same officials.
In June, Cabinet approved the creation of the Beirut International Airport Company, a state-owned joint-stock company intended to manage and operate the airport. Its responsibilities include airport operations, air navigation, communications and meteorology, while the airport and its facilities would remain state-owned.
The company has not yet taken over its responsibilities, according to Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority source.
