Lebanon’s main airport lacks valid certification and has regulatory shortcomings that could delay the resumption of direct flights between Beirut and the US, Reuters has reported the UN aviation agency as saying.
US President Donald Trump signed an order last month 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.
While the US Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration would still need to conduct safety reviews before flights could resume, the Lebanese embassy in Washington called Mr Trump's order a "significant first step towards restoring direct air service between Lebanon and the United States".
But the UN's International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) technical assistance mission to Lebanon in July identified shortcomings at Rafic Hariri International Airport and in the aviation system. The findings could complicate Mr Trump’s efforts to restore direct flights.
The agency sent an internal report, made at the request of the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), to Lebanon in September.
Three US airline officials told Reuters that they did not expect American carriers to resume services to Lebanon in the near term, owing to security concerns.
Safety concerns
The ICAO report summary said Beirut airport’s firefighting resources were equipped to handle single-aisle aircraft but not the twin-aisle jets typically used on long-haul routes. The airport also lacks an emergency plan and its conditional certification has expired.
“This is a serious and time-critical matter that must be addressed immediately to preserve the airport's operational status,” the agency said in the summary.
The report also identified shortcomings at the LCAA, including a lack of qualified inspectors to oversee air traffic control licensing and the absence of a fully established, independent aircraft accident investigation authority with clearly defined responsibilities.
The findings were discussed at a two-day workshop last month involving officials from ICAO, the Lebanese government and the FAA, according to Reuters, which reviewed the meeting’s agenda.
Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, said the country was taking steps to address the concerns, with efforts to certify the airport beginning on Saturday. The Civil Aviation Authority expects to issue conditional certification in the coming days.
“Most of the issues highlighted in the report had already been identified by the LCAA and corrective action had already been initiated,” said Mr Rasamny, adding that progress had been delayed by war.
Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon and have continued to carry out strikes despite a US-brokered framework agreement signed in June. Hezbollah, which was not party to the agreement, has rejected it.
The FAA declined to comment on the report, while the ICAO said it could not comment on matters concerning specific countries but conducts targeted analyses for member states, Reuters reported.
Regional security risks
The certification concerns come amid wider security risks affecting air travel in the Middle East. Foreign airlines have avoided large areas of regional airspace because of missile and drone threats since US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February led to wider hostilities.
The US State Department advises American citizens against travelling to Lebanon because of security concerns. The FAA has also called for caution for flights operating in Lebanese airspace because of heightened military activity in or around Syria, including the risk of errant long-range surface-to-air missiles originating from Syrian territory.
Lebanon’s aviation authorities and its national carrier have continued to maintain air navigation services and flights despite the challenges, helping to support an economy heavily reliant on tourism and remittances.
Although there are currently no direct flights between Beirut and the US, Lebanon remains connected to several major European cities. The EU's Aviation Safety Agency said it was aware of the ICAO report and noted that European airlines must conduct their own assessments of an airport’s safety and operational readiness before beginning services.