By Allison Lampert and David Shepardson
Oct 16 – The United Nations aviation agency has found Lebanon’s main airport lacks valid certification, according to a report summary seen by Reuters, in a setback to US President Donald Trump’s move to revive direct US-Beirut flights.
The findings, which two senior industry officials familiar with the matter expect to delay the resumption of service, complicate efforts to follow up on an order Trump signed after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. the Lebanese embassy in Washington called Trump’s order “a significant first step toward restoring direct air service between Lebanon and the United States While the US Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration would still need to conduct safety reviews before flights could resume. Washington has backed Aoun as it pushes for Iran-backed Hezbollah to be disarmed. The LCAA expects to issue conditional certification in the coming days.
Trump made the announcement in July and signed an order last month for the US government to allow direct flights from the US to Lebanon, reversing a four-decade-long suspension after TWA Flight 847 was hijacked and forced to land in Beirut in 1985.
Beirut airport’s firefighting resources are equipped for single-aisle planes, but not twin-aisle jetliners used for long-haul flights, according to a summary of ICAO’s report. The airport also lacks an emergency plan, and its conditional certification has expired, the report said. “This is a serious and time-critical matter that must be addressed immediately to preserve the airport’s operational status,” the summary said. Such concerns were flagged during a two-day workshop last month where officials from ICAO, Lebanon’s government, the FAA and others discussed efforts to revive direct air service, according to the industry officials and an agenda of the meeting seen by Reuters.
Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny said Lebanon was taking steps to address the concerns, with efforts to certify the airport starting on Saturday.
