The opening of Lebanon's second international airport has been delayed by incomplete security arrangements and additional work not covered by the original operating contract, with the government now targeting 15 November for the first commercial flight.
René Mouawad Airport in the village of Qlayaat, northern Lebanon, was initially scheduled to open for commercial flights in October, but several outstanding issues have pushed back the launch.
The original $10 million contract did not cover all the requirements set by security agencies, prompting Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny to request an additional $6 million for further work, according to news site ASAS Media.
The installation of surveillance cameras alone is estimated to cost around $4 million, accounting for much of the additional funding. The work is expected to be put out to public tender through the Civil Aviation Authority, in accordance with Lebanon's public procurement law.
Responding to a request for comment from The New Arab, Sky Lounge Services, the company awarded the public tender to operate and invest in the airport, said it was committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations and supporting the government's efforts to prepare the airport for reopening.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company said its $10 million contract covered the construction of a new passenger terminal, which is being built from scratch and will be larger than originally planned, as well as the rehabilitation of the airport, infrastructure improvements and the installation of operational, technical and security systems.
However, Sky Lounge Services stressed that any additional work commissioned by the authorities outside the scope of its contract was not its responsibility. It said it had no role in decisions concerning the awarding, financing or implementation of such work.
The company added that it remained committed to completing all work and installing the equipment covered by its contract in time for the airport to be ready for operations on 15 November.
Questions also remain over which body will be responsible for securing the airport.
One proposal under discussion is to establish a separate security force, similar to the one overseeing security at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. Another is to extend Beirut airport's security command to cover Qlayaat, a move that would require an amendment to a 1978 law governing the body.
The security concerns come alongside legal and administrative obstacles, including procedures to transfer ownership of the airport from the Lebanese army to the Civil Aviation Directorate.
The airport served as a military airbase for decades before plans were revived to reopen it for civilian use.
MP Sajih Attieh, head of parliament's Public Works Committee, has also cited weather conditions as a factor affecting preparations.
Attieh previously said a new opening date, roughly a month later than originally planned, was being discussed, while Rasamny told Annahar that the airport would not open until it was fully ready, particularly in terms of security and logistics.
The minister said the aim was to begin operations before the end of the year, without committing to a firm date until the outstanding requirements had been met.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has since announced 15 November as the target date for the first commercial flight, which is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia, although questions remain over whether the airport will be ready by then.
Rasamny has said the additional security work could be carried out alongside airport operations and continue after flights begin.
The government has been holding meetings with the relevant departments and agencies, with weekly follow-ups covering the airport's legal, security, technical, operational and logistical requirements in line with civil aviation standards.
Preparations have included test flights to assess the runway's suitability and its ability to accommodate different types of civilian aircraft.
Two aircraft carrying technicians and employees from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation landed at the airport as part of the checks.
The first aircraft belonging to the operating company also landed in August, ahead of the partial civilian operations initially planned for October.
The reopening was announced on 6 June after years of delays.
Salam said at the time that the Akkar district, where Qlayaat is located, should no longer remain outside the state's priorities, describing the airport as important to the national economy and to ending the isolation of impoverished northern areas.
Tripoli, Minyeh-Danniyeh and Akkar districts are among Lebanon's poorest regions.
Residents and politicians have long campaigned for the airport's reopening to create jobs and ease pressure on Beirut airport, which is already operating beyond capacity.
The airport is named after former Lebanese President René Mouawad, who was assassinated days after his election in 1989.
Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines, used the airport for a limited period during the Lebanese Civil War, particularly between 1988 and 1990, operating domestic flights between Beirut and northern Lebanon.
Those services were later discontinued, partly after routes between different parts of the country reopened.