Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport
Encyclopedia
Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (formerly Beirut International Airport) ( مطار بيروت ) is located 9 km (5.6 mi) from the city centre in the southern suburbs of Beirut
, Lebanon
and is the only operational commercial airport in the country. It is the hub for Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines
(more commonly known as MEA). It is also the hub for the Lebanese cargo carrier Trans Mediterranean Airways
(more commonly known as TMA Cargo), as well as the charter carriers Med Airways and Wings of Lebanon
.
It is the main port of entry
into the country along with the Port of Beirut
. The airport was selected by "Skytrax
Magazine" as the second best airport and aviation hub in the Middle East; it came behind Dubai International Airport.
The airport is managed and operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which operates within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The DGCA is also responsible for operating the air traffic control
(ATC) at the airport as well as controlling Lebanon's airspace.
Maintenance and general upkeep duties ranging from cleaning the terminal to de-rubberising the runways are the responsibility of Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, Middle East Airlines.
There are plans to eventually replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with an independent autonomous government owned agency called the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority
(LCAA) which would assume the responsibilities of regulation and safety oversight while a new government-owned corporation named the Beirut International Airport Corporation (BRHIAC) would assume management and operations responsibilities of the airport.
jet in Athens, on the night of 28 December 1968, Israeli commandos mounted a surprise attack on the airport and destroyed 13 civilian aircraft belonging to the Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines (Air Liban had merged with MEA by this time), Trans Mediterranean Airways, and Lebanese International Airways. This caused serious devastation to the Lebanese aviation industry. Middle East Airlines managed to rebound quickly, but Lebanese International Airways went bankrupt and its employees were transferred to MEA.
The airport lost its status and the glamour it once had with the start of the 15-year long Lebanese Civil War
in April 1975 in which it lost virtually all of its airline services with the exception of the two Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways, which continued operating with the exception of certain periods of interruption when the airport was completely closed. Despite the conflict, the terminal was renovated in 1977, only to be badly damaged 5 years later by Israeli shelling during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The airport was the site of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing
, in which 241 American servicemen were killed. The airport's runways were renovated in 1982 and 1984.
In 1998, the first phase of the new terminal was completed. It was located immediately adjacent to the east of the old terminal and consists of gates 1-12. After it was inaugurated, the old terminal was demolished and construction on the western half began and was completed in 2000, however it was not inaugurated until 2002. This consists of gates 13-23. The new terminal can handle 6 million passengers annually and is expected to be expanded to handle 16 million passengers by 2035.
It was decided early on that the original runways were no longer sufficient, especially if Beirut was to see large aircraft like the upcoming Airbus A380
. A new landing runway, 17/35 was constructed protruding at an angle out into the sea, with a length of 3,395 metres (11,138 feet). This seaward protrusion was built in order to move landing traffic away from the city in a bid to improve safety and reduce aircraft noise. A new take-off runway was constructed parallel to the old 03/21 at a length of 3,800 metres (12,467 feet) making it the longest runway in the airport. The old 03/21 was converted to a taxiway for accessing the new runway 03/21. Unlike the old runways, the two new runways were constructed from concrete and feature more advanced lighting systems and instrument landing systems. Runway 18/36 is still open, although it is used very rarely.
In 2004, runway 17/35 was re-designated 16/34 and runway 18/36 was re-designated 17/35 after more accurate runway heading measurements were conducted.
On 17 June 2005, the General Aviation Terminal was finally opened. It is located on the northwestern corner of the airport and is one of the most advanced general aviation terminals in the Middle East featuring state of the art facilities. All fixed base operator
s and VIP charter providers have moved their operations to this state-of-the art terminal.
as part of the 2006 Lebanon War. The Israeli Air Force claimed at the time that Hezbollah had received a weapons shipment there. The runways were rendered inoperative and the Lebanese Government declared that the airport was closed until further notice.
Shortly thereafter, MEA
used one of the long taxiways at the airport to evacuate five of its aircraft (four Airbus A321
and one Airbus A330
).
, followed by a Royal Jordanian
flight also from Amman. This marked the first commercial flight arrival at Beirut International Airport since the airport's closure almost 5 weeks before. All runways and taxiways at the airport have been successfully repaired and the airport is operating as it was before the hostilities.
flight landed at the airport. Over the next couple of days, more airlines resumed flights to the airport, including Emirates, Etihad, Jazeera Airways
, Air Arabia, Air France, British Airways (BMED), Cyprus Airways, Egypt Air, Air Algérie, Royal Air Maroc
, Jet Airways and Gulf Air.
. A press release issued by the White House said Bush was determined that the “prohibition of transportation services to Lebanon … is hereby further amended to permit U.S. air carriers under contract to the United States Government to engage in foreign air transportation to and from Lebanon of passengers, including U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.”
On December 17, 2009, President Michel Sleiman announced that US based airlines are considering a partnership agreement with Middle East Airlines (MEA) as a first step to resuming direct flights between Lebanon and the United States and eventually Canada. Brazil
's Varig
started services from São Paulo and suspended operations in 2006. Before Varig
's suspension, it was the only airline of Latin
and South America
to fly to Beirut
.
Near-term plans include the rehabilitation of the old runway 17/35, the rehabilitation and construction of new taxiways, the construction of 12 small hangars for the newly inaugurated General Aviation Terminal, and the construction of a cargo village to attract more cargo carriers.
In July 2010, in an interview with Lebanon’s director general of Civil Aviation, Dr Hamdi Chaouk, it was confirmed that Beirut is to increase its capacity from six million passengers a year to 18 million with the construction of a new terminal and 23 new gates – taking the total to 46. Construction would begin on January 2011.
Dr Chaouk said that up to seven of these gates would be designed to take the Airbus A380. He mentioned that talks have been occurring with Emirates and Qatar on the possibility of using Beirut as a hub for flights to London.
The modern terminal consists of 23 gates, 21 of which have jetways, and two of which are dual jetway gates for large aircraft.
The terminal consists of two wings, the East and West Wing, joined together by the Main Terminal, forming a U-shaped building, with each wing being parallel to the other, and the Main Terminal connecting the wings. The Main Terminal includes the bulk of the duty free, some other shops, a restaurant, and the lounges (see below for more details). The East Wing, which opened in 1998, has gates 1-12 and the West Wing, which opened in 2002, has gates 13-23. Gates 2 and 3 are dual jetway gates for large aircraft. Gates 4 and 22 are bus boarding gates, however these are rarely used. When an aircraft is parked on a stand it is usually towed into a jetway position closer to departure. There is Wi-Fi throughout the airport; however, the Wi-Fi is not free of charge, and a card with a password must be purchased.
The Main Terminal consists of 4 levels. They are:
Each Wing of the airport is accessible from the Main Terminal on opposite sides of the Main Terminal, via its own entrance. Each has only 1 level, and is considered part of the 2nd Level. Both entrances have a security check-point before entering (this is in addition to the 2 security entrances featured just past the main entrance foyer). The 2 Wings are not connected to each other, and are only available to each other via the Main Terminal. Each Wing contains the following:
The airport has all of the typical airport passenger facilities including duty free shops, cafes, restaurants, banks, a post office, prayer rooms and a tourist information centre (managed by the Ministry of Tourism).
Additional facilities and conveniences include:
Most airlines serving Beirut simply choose to use either the Cedar Lounge or the smaller LAT Lounge for their premium passengers, which is the reason why there are so few airline lounges in the airport.
Taxis are plentiful at the airport. Comfortable taxis that are authorized by the airport are parked next to the terminal in the arrivals level, and have an airport logo on the side. As these taxis are regulated by the airport authorities, they are guaranteed to be honest in their rates, but they do tend to be very expensive. Regular taxis are also available and are located a little farther from the airport, but these are not guaranteed, as the price can be negotiated. It is advised that you discuss the price prior to departing in the taxi.
In the future, there are plans to offer regularly scheduled bus services from the airport to various parts of the city, and even other parts of the country. However, as of yet, nothing has been achieved with regards to this matter. Bus shelters are already constructed at the airport.
, Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) and Lebanese Air Transport (LAT).
Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. It provides ground handling services for the national carrier, MEA, as well as most of the carriers serving the airport, including the cargo carriers. MEAG handles nearly 80% of the traffic at the airport.
Lebanese Air Transport (LAT) is a smaller ground handling operator that conducts ground handling operations for a number of carriers serving the airport. LAT specialises in handling charter flights, but do have contracts with a number of scheduled carriers such as British Airways
. Once upon a time, LAT was an airline that operated its own aircraft, however this was many years ago.
MEAG recently launched its own FBO services with the opening of the new General Aviation Terminal called Cedar Jet Centre. It is now regarded as the top FBO in the airport.
Another leading FBO is Aircraft Support & Services (ASAS) which specialises in fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft. In addition, they operate two executive jets which can be chartered to various places.
JR Executive operates a fleet of small propeller aircraft that can be chartered or leased. They also have a flight school to train people how to fly. They also conduct light maintenance on light aircraft and also offer fixed based operator services.
Cirrus Middle East, a member of the German-based Cirrus Group is partnering up with Universal Weather and Aviation to create a fixed base operator and VIP charter service to be launched on October 15 of this year. The company will initially be called Universal/Cirrus Middle East, but will eventually become Universal Aviation Beirut. They aim to become one of the top FBOs in the Middle East and will cater aircraft as large as Boeing 747
s.
LAT offers limited fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft.
Executive Aircraft Services (EAS) offers aircraft charter services, ground handling services, aircraft management and aircraft acquisition and sales.
and A330
series of aircraft. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. MASCO has JAR 145 approval and as a result can maintain any aircraft registered in Europe.
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and is the only operational commercial airport in the country. It is the hub for Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines
Middle East Airlines
Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
(more commonly known as MEA). It is also the hub for the Lebanese cargo carrier Trans Mediterranean Airways
Trans Mediterranean Airways
Trans Mediterranean Airways SAL, styled as TMA Cargo , is a cargo airline based in Beirut, Lebanon. The airline restarted operations in 2010, following a six year hiatus.TMA Cargo is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.-History:...
(more commonly known as TMA Cargo), as well as the charter carriers Med Airways and Wings of Lebanon
Wings of Lebanon
-Fleet:The Wings of Lebanon fleet consists of the following aircraft :*1 Boeing 737-200 *1 Boeing 737-300-External links:**...
.
It is the main port of entry
Port of entry
In general, a port of entry is a place where one may lawfully enter a country. It typically has a staff of people who check passports and visas and inspect luggage to assure that contraband is not imported. International airports are usually ports of entry, as are road and rail crossings on a...
into the country along with the Port of Beirut
Port of Beirut
The Port of Beirut is the main port in Lebanon located on the eastern part of the Saint George Bay on Beirut's northern Mediterranean coast, west of the Beirut River. It is one of the largest and busiest ports on the Eastern Mediterranean...
. The airport was selected by "Skytrax
Skytrax
Skytrax is a United Kingdom-based consultancy, the public face of Inflight Research Services, which has the largest airline and airport review and ranking site. It conducts research for commercial airlines...
Magazine" as the second best airport and aviation hub in the Middle East; it came behind Dubai International Airport.
The airport is managed and operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) which operates within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The DGCA is also responsible for operating the air traffic control
Air traffic control
Air traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
(ATC) at the airport as well as controlling Lebanon's airspace.
Maintenance and general upkeep duties ranging from cleaning the terminal to de-rubberising the runways are the responsibility of Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, Middle East Airlines.
There are plans to eventually replace the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) with an independent autonomous government owned agency called the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority
Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority
The Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority is the civil aviation authority of Lebanon....
(LCAA) which would assume the responsibilities of regulation and safety oversight while a new government-owned corporation named the Beirut International Airport Corporation (BRHIAC) would assume management and operations responsibilities of the airport.
Inauguration
The airport opened on 23 April 1954, replacing the much smaller Bir Hassan Airfield which was located a short distance north. At the time of its opening, the terminal was very modern and it featured an excellent spotters terrace with a cafe. The airport consisted of two asphalt runways at the time. Runway 18/36 at 3,250 metres (10,663 feet) was used primarily for landings from the 18 end while runway 03/21 at 3,180 metres (10,433 feet) was used primarily for take-offs from the 03 end.A premier Middle East hub
The airport grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East, thanks to limited competition from neighbours, with fast and steady growth by the country's four carriers at the time, Middle East Airlines (MEA), Air Liban, Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA), and Lebanese International Airways (LIA) plus numerous foreign carriers.Israeli Assault
In response to an attack on an El AlEl Al
El Al Israel Airlines Ltd , trading as El Al , is the flag carrier of Israel. It operates scheduled domestic and international services and cargo flights to Europe, North America, Africa and the Far East from its main base in Ben Gurion International Airport...
jet in Athens, on the night of 28 December 1968, Israeli commandos mounted a surprise attack on the airport and destroyed 13 civilian aircraft belonging to the Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines (Air Liban had merged with MEA by this time), Trans Mediterranean Airways, and Lebanese International Airways. This caused serious devastation to the Lebanese aviation industry. Middle East Airlines managed to rebound quickly, but Lebanese International Airways went bankrupt and its employees were transferred to MEA.
Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
in April 1975 in which it lost virtually all of its airline services with the exception of the two Lebanese carriers, Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways, which continued operating with the exception of certain periods of interruption when the airport was completely closed. Despite the conflict, the terminal was renovated in 1977, only to be badly damaged 5 years later by Israeli shelling during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The airport was the site of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing
1983 Beirut barracks bombing
The Beirut Barracks Bombing occurred during the Lebanese Civil War, when two truck bombs struck separate buildings housing United States and French military forces—members of the Multinational Force in Lebanon—killing 299 American and French servicemen...
, in which 241 American servicemen were killed. The airport's runways were renovated in 1982 and 1984.
Reconstruction
By the time war finally came to an end in 1990, the airport was clearly outdated and fatigued. It was clear that if Beirut was to try to rebound itself, it needed to launch a massive reconstruction program. A 10-year reconstruction program was launched in 1994 which included the construction of a brand new terminal, two new runways, a new fire station building, a new powerplant, a new general aviation terminal, a new underground parking garage, and the rehabilitation of many structures such as the radar building.It was decided early on that the original runways were no longer sufficient, especially if Beirut was to see large aircraft like the upcoming Airbus A380
Airbus A380
The Airbus A380 is a double-deck, wide-body, four-engine jet airliner manufactured by the European corporation Airbus, a subsidiary of EADS. It is the largest passenger airliner in the world. Due to its size, many airports had to modify and improve facilities to accommodate it...
. A new landing runway, 17/35 was constructed protruding at an angle out into the sea, with a length of 3,395 metres (11,138 feet). This seaward protrusion was built in order to move landing traffic away from the city in a bid to improve safety and reduce aircraft noise. A new take-off runway was constructed parallel to the old 03/21 at a length of 3,800 metres (12,467 feet) making it the longest runway in the airport. The old 03/21 was converted to a taxiway for accessing the new runway 03/21. Unlike the old runways, the two new runways were constructed from concrete and feature more advanced lighting systems and instrument landing systems. Runway 18/36 is still open, although it is used very rarely.
In 2004, runway 17/35 was re-designated 16/34 and runway 18/36 was re-designated 17/35 after more accurate runway heading measurements were conducted.
On 17 June 2005, the General Aviation Terminal was finally opened. It is located on the northwestern corner of the airport and is one of the most advanced general aviation terminals in the Middle East featuring state of the art facilities. All fixed base operator
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
s and VIP charter providers have moved their operations to this state-of-the art terminal.
More damage during the 2006 war
On 13 July 2006 at approximately 6:00 a.m. local time, all 3 runways of the airport sustained significant damage from missile strikes directed at it by the Israeli Air ForceIsraeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
as part of the 2006 Lebanon War. The Israeli Air Force claimed at the time that Hezbollah had received a weapons shipment there. The runways were rendered inoperative and the Lebanese Government declared that the airport was closed until further notice.
Shortly thereafter, MEA
Middle East Airlines
Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
used one of the long taxiways at the airport to evacuate five of its aircraft (four Airbus A321
Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
and one Airbus A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
).
Limited activity at the airport
The airport reopened to commercial flights on August 17, 2006 with the arrival of a Middle East Airlines (MEA) flight around 1:10 p.m. local time (10:10 a.m. GMT) from AmmanAmman
Amman is the capital of Jordan. It is the country's political, cultural and commercial centre and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. The Greater Amman area has a population of 2,842,629 as of 2010. The population of Amman is expected to jump from 2.8 million to almost...
, followed by a Royal Jordanian
Royal Jordanian
Royal Jordanian Airlines is the flag carrier of Jordan with its head office in Amman, Jordan, operating scheduled international services over four continents from its main base at Queen Alia International Airport at Amman Jordan. Royal Jordanian is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization...
flight also from Amman. This marked the first commercial flight arrival at Beirut International Airport since the airport's closure almost 5 weeks before. All runways and taxiways at the airport have been successfully repaired and the airport is operating as it was before the hostilities.
Israel ends air blockade
On Thursday, 7 September 2006, Israel ended its air blockade of Lebanon. The first plane to land at the airport after the end of the blockade was a Middle East Airlines flight at 6:06 p.m. local time (3:06 p.m. GMT). Soon after that, a Kuwait AirwaysKuwait Airways
Kuwait Airways is the national airline of Kuwait, with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport, Al Farwaniyah Governorate. It operates scheduled international services throughout the Middle East, to the Indian subcontinent, Europe, Southeast Asia and North America, from its...
flight landed at the airport. Over the next couple of days, more airlines resumed flights to the airport, including Emirates, Etihad, Jazeera Airways
Jazeera Airways
Jazeera Airways K.S.C is a low-fare airline with its head office on the grounds of Kuwait International Airport in Al Farwaniyah Governorate, Kuwait. It operates scheduled services to the Middle East and Europe. Its main base is Kuwait International Airport...
, Air Arabia, Air France, British Airways (BMED), Cyprus Airways, Egypt Air, Air Algérie, Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Air Maroc is the flag carrier airline of Morocco, headquartered on the grounds of Casablanca-Anfa Airport in Casablanca...
, Jet Airways and Gulf Air.
US air traffic ban lifted
On June 6, 2007, U.S. President Bush lifted a ban on air traffic to Lebanon imposed since the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847TWA Flight 847
TWA Flight 847 was an international Trans World Airlines flight which was hijacked by Lebanese Shia extremists, later identified as members of Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, on Friday morning, June 14, 1985, after originally taking off from Cairo. The flight was en route from Athens to Rome and then...
. A press release issued by the White House said Bush was determined that the “prohibition of transportation services to Lebanon … is hereby further amended to permit U.S. air carriers under contract to the United States Government to engage in foreign air transportation to and from Lebanon of passengers, including U.S. and non-U.S. citizens.”
On December 17, 2009, President Michel Sleiman announced that US based airlines are considering a partnership agreement with Middle East Airlines (MEA) as a first step to resuming direct flights between Lebanon and the United States and eventually Canada. Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
's Varig
Varig
VARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
started services from São Paulo and suspended operations in 2006. Before Varig
Varig
VARIG was the first airline founded in Brazil, in 1927. From 1965 until 1990 it was Brazil's leading and almost only international airline...
's suspension, it was the only airline of Latin
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
to fly to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
Plans
The ambitious 10-year reconstruction program of the airport is mostly complete and Beirut now has a world-class facility which is ranked among the top airports in the Middle East.Near-term plans include the rehabilitation of the old runway 17/35, the rehabilitation and construction of new taxiways, the construction of 12 small hangars for the newly inaugurated General Aviation Terminal, and the construction of a cargo village to attract more cargo carriers.
In July 2010, in an interview with Lebanon’s director general of Civil Aviation, Dr Hamdi Chaouk, it was confirmed that Beirut is to increase its capacity from six million passengers a year to 18 million with the construction of a new terminal and 23 new gates – taking the total to 46. Construction would begin on January 2011.
Dr Chaouk said that up to seven of these gates would be designed to take the Airbus A380. He mentioned that talks have been occurring with Emirates and Qatar on the possibility of using Beirut as a hub for flights to London.
Passenger Terminal
The terminal consists of two wings, the East and West Wing, joined together by the Main Terminal, forming a U-shaped building, with each wing being parallel to the other, and the Main Terminal connecting the wings. The Main Terminal includes the bulk of the duty free, some other shops, a restaurant, and the lounges (see below for more details). The East Wing, which opened in 1998, has gates 1-12 and the West Wing, which opened in 2002, has gates 13-23. Gates 2 and 3 are dual jetway gates for large aircraft. Gates 4 and 22 are bus boarding gates, however these are rarely used. When an aircraft is parked on a stand it is usually towed into a jetway position closer to departure. There is Wi-Fi throughout the airport; however, the Wi-Fi is not free of charge, and a card with a password must be purchased.
The Main Terminal consists of 4 levels. They are:
- The Ground Level, which features the arrival area, and also contains a duty free section for arriving passengers next to baggage claim. The duty free shops are accessible to arriving passengers after they clear passport control, but before they clear customs (this duty free, like all the others, is not open to the general public). Car rental agencies are located on this level as well, available for arriving passengers after they clear customs. This level also has cafes open to the general public (i.e., people who are waiting for the arriving passengers).
- The 2nd Level, featuring the departure level, ticketing, and gates area. It also includes the primary duty free shopping area, as well as some other shops, including a Virgin MegastoreVirgin MegastoreVirgin Megastores is an international chain of record shops, founded by Sir Richard Branson on London's Oxford Street in early 1971. Virgin Megastores are best described today as entertainment retailers....
. Like the Ground Level, there are some cafes open to the general public; these are located in the main entrance foyer, before passengers begin the boarding process, which includes security, ticketing, and passport control. There are 2 security entrances on opposite sides of the foyer, which lead to 1 ticketing area; only passengers with a valid ticket and passport may pass through security. Duty free shopping is not open to the general public, and passengers can only access the duty free area once they have cleared passport control.
- The 3rd Level, which houses all of the private airline lounges, as well as a Japanese restaurant. The restaurant is only available to passengers once they clear passport control.
- The 4th Level, which mainly houses the airport administration offices. Closed to the public.
Each Wing of the airport is accessible from the Main Terminal on opposite sides of the Main Terminal, via its own entrance. Each has only 1 level, and is considered part of the 2nd Level. Both entrances have a security check-point before entering (this is in addition to the 2 security entrances featured just past the main entrance foyer). The 2 Wings are not connected to each other, and are only available to each other via the Main Terminal. Each Wing contains the following:
- 2 cafes, both offering self-service items (drinks, sandwiches, pastries, and chocolates). One of the cafes is much larger than the other, and features televisions displaying international news channels.
- A small duty free shop.
- A magazine/newspaper newsstand, offering publications in Arabic, English, and French.
- A store selling Lebanese touristic merchandise and souvenirs.
- Computer kiosks with internet connection, payable by cash or credit.
- Pay phones.
Airlines and destinations
Cargo airlines
Passenger services
Additional facilities and conveniences include:
Airline lounges
The airport has three lounges for premium passengers located on the mezzanine level above the Duty Free area in the departure area. They are:- MEA's Cedar Lounge, the largest of the three lounges. It occupies half of the available lounge space, and was expanded and upgraded on August 1, 2005. It is open to non-MEA passengers with first or business class tickets.
- Saudi Arabian AirlinesSaudi Arabian AirlinesSaudi Arabian Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Saudi Arabia, based in Jeddah. It operates domestic and international scheduled flights to over 90 destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and North America...
's Golden Lounge. Only Saudi Arabian Airlines passengers are allowed to use this lounge.
- LAT Lounge operated by the ground handler, Lebanese Air Transport (LAT). Open to all the other airlines' premium passengers.
Most airlines serving Beirut simply choose to use either the Cedar Lounge or the smaller LAT Lounge for their premium passengers, which is the reason why there are so few airline lounges in the airport.
Public transport
At the moment, there is no public transportation directly to the airport. LCC Bus Route 1 takes passengers from the airport roundabout, one kilometer from the terminal, to Rue Sadat in Hamra, whereas Route 5 takes to the Charles Helou bus station. OCFTC buses number seven and ten also stop at the airport roundabout en route to central Beirut.Taxis are plentiful at the airport. Comfortable taxis that are authorized by the airport are parked next to the terminal in the arrivals level, and have an airport logo on the side. As these taxis are regulated by the airport authorities, they are guaranteed to be honest in their rates, but they do tend to be very expensive. Regular taxis are also available and are located a little farther from the airport, but these are not guaranteed, as the price can be negotiated. It is advised that you discuss the price prior to departing in the taxi.
In the future, there are plans to offer regularly scheduled bus services from the airport to various parts of the city, and even other parts of the country. However, as of yet, nothing has been achieved with regards to this matter. Bus shelters are already constructed at the airport.
Ground handling providers
The airport has two ground handling operatorsAircraft ground handling
In aviation, aircraft ground handling defines the servicing of an aircraft while it is on the ground and parked at a terminal gate of an airport.-Overview:...
, Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) and Lebanese Air Transport (LAT).
Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. It provides ground handling services for the national carrier, MEA, as well as most of the carriers serving the airport, including the cargo carriers. MEAG handles nearly 80% of the traffic at the airport.
Lebanese Air Transport (LAT) is a smaller ground handling operator that conducts ground handling operations for a number of carriers serving the airport. LAT specialises in handling charter flights, but do have contracts with a number of scheduled carriers such as British Airways
British Airways
British Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
. Once upon a time, LAT was an airline that operated its own aircraft, however this was many years ago.
Airline catering
The airport has one catering company named Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC).Fixed Base Operators (FBO)
The airport is home to four fixed base operators for private aircraft.MEAG recently launched its own FBO services with the opening of the new General Aviation Terminal called Cedar Jet Centre. It is now regarded as the top FBO in the airport.
Another leading FBO is Aircraft Support & Services (ASAS) which specialises in fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft. In addition, they operate two executive jets which can be chartered to various places.
JR Executive operates a fleet of small propeller aircraft that can be chartered or leased. They also have a flight school to train people how to fly. They also conduct light maintenance on light aircraft and also offer fixed based operator services.
Cirrus Middle East, a member of the German-based Cirrus Group is partnering up with Universal Weather and Aviation to create a fixed base operator and VIP charter service to be launched on October 15 of this year. The company will initially be called Universal/Cirrus Middle East, but will eventually become Universal Aviation Beirut. They aim to become one of the top FBOs in the Middle East and will cater aircraft as large as Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
s.
LAT offers limited fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft.
Executive Aircraft Services (EAS) offers aircraft charter services, ground handling services, aircraft management and aircraft acquisition and sales.
Aircraft maintenance providers
The airport is the home base of MidEast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO), an aircraft maintenance provider that specialises in all kinds of maintenance for Airbus aircraft, particularly the A320Airbus A320
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
and A330
Airbus A330
The Airbus A330 is a wide-body twin-engine jet airliner made by Airbus, a division of EADS. Versions of the A330 have a range of and can accommodate up to 335 passengers in a two-class layout or carry of cargo....
series of aircraft. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. MASCO has JAR 145 approval and as a result can maintain any aircraft registered in Europe.
Statistics
Passenger use and aircraft movements have increased each year since 1990 with the exception of 2006, which saw a sharp decrease in both. Total cargo has trended upwards since 1990, but also experienced a significant decrease in 2006.| Year | Total Passengers | Total Cargo (metric tons) | Total Aircraft Movements |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 637,944 | 8,048 | |
| 1991 | 837,144 | 44,064 | 10,822 |
| 1992 | 1,092,645 | 48,859 | 14,963 |
| 1993 | 1,343,289 | 45,539 | 16,581 |
| 1994 | 1,489,429 | 54,007 | 19,045 |
| 1995 | 1,672,657 | 49,742 | 20,478 |
| 1996 | 1,715,434 | 46,505 | 21,004 |
| 1997 | 1,715,434 | 46,505 | 21,004 |
| 1998 | 2,006,956 | 55,037 | 23,051 |
| 1999 | 2,222,344 | 54,300 | 25,010 |
| 2000 | 2,343,387 | 52,439 | 29,707 |
| 2001 | 2,444,851 | 62,789 | 30,627 |
| 2002 | 2,606,861 | 65,913 | 32,952 |
| 2003 | 2,840,400 | 65,674 | 34,468 |
| 2004 | 3,334,710 | 62,081 | 39,023 |
| 2005 | 3,892,356 | 68,852 | 44,295 |
| 2006 | 2,463,576 | 52,638 | 27,870 |
| 2007 | 3,009,749 | 59,387 | 32.674 |
| 2008 | 4,004,972 | 71,965 | 49,873 |
| 2009 | 4,952,899 | 57,545 | 69,724 |
| 5,552,746 | 92,098 | 81,040 |
Accidents and incidents
- On 21 November 1959, Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 202Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 202Ariana Afghan Airlines Flight 202, a Douglas DC-4, registration YA-BAG, was an international scheduled flight from Lebanon, bound for Afghanistan with scheduled stops in Mehrabad Airport, Iran, and Kandahar International Airport, Afghanistan. On November 21, 1959, two minutes after takeoff on...
crashed near BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
on a flight from Beirut to TehranTehranTehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
, killing 24 of the 27 passengers and crew on board the Douglas DC-4Douglas DC-4The Douglas DC-4 is a four-engined propeller-driven airliner developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It served during World War II, in the Berlin Airlift and into the 1960s in a military role...
. - On 23 February 1964, Vickers ViscountVickers ViscountThe Vickers Viscount was a British medium-range turboprop airliner first flown in 1948 by Vickers-Armstrongs, making it the first such aircraft to enter service in the world...
SU-AKX of United Arab Airlines was damaged beyond economic repair in a heavy landing. - On 30 September 1975 a Tupolev Tu-154Tupolev Tu-154The Tupolev Tu-154 is a three-engine medium-range narrow-body airliner designed in the mid 1960s and manufactured by Tupolev. As the mainstay 'workhorse' of Soviet and Russian airlines for several decades, it serviced over a sixth of the world's landmass and carried half of all passengers flown...
of Malév Hungarian Airlines, Malév Flight 240Malév Flight 240Malév Flight 240, was a Tupolev Tu-154 tri-motor jetliner of Malév Hungarian Airlines, which was flying on the Budapest to Beirut regular route when it crashed near the Lebanese shoreline on 30 September 1975. All 50 passengers and 10 crew on board died...
crashed into the sea while approaching the airport. The cause and the circumstances remain mysterious, but it was most likely shot down. - In September 1970, Pan Am Flight 93 was hijacked while flying to New York. The plane landed to refuel and pick up another PFLP hijacker. It was then flown to Cairo where it was blown up.
- On 17 May 1977 — Antonow An-12, SP-LZA, a cargo plane leased by LOT Polish AirlinesLOT Polish AirlinesPolskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A. , trading as LOT Polish Airlines, is the flag carrier of Poland. Based in Warsaw, LOT was established in 1929, making it one of the world's oldest airlines still in operation. Using a fleet of 55 aircraft, LOT operates a complex network to 60 destinations in Europe,...
from the Polish Air ForcePolish Air ForceThe Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej...
along with its crew, flying to Lebanon with a cargo of fresh strawberries crashed 8 kilometers from Beirut airport, all 6 crew members and 3 passengers on board were killed. The airplane crashed due to language problems, the crew repeated the order to descend given by the air traffic controlAir traffic controlAir traffic control is a service provided by ground-based controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and in the air. The primary purpose of ATC systems worldwide is to separate aircraft to prevent collisions, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide information and other...
and flew into a mountain. - On 23 July 1979, a TMATrans Mediterranean AirwaysTrans Mediterranean Airways SAL, styled as TMA Cargo , is a cargo airline based in Beirut, Lebanon. The airline restarted operations in 2010, following a six year hiatus.TMA Cargo is a member of the Arab Air Carriers Organization.-History:...
Boeing 707-320C, on a test flight for 4 co-pilots due to be promoted to captains, crashed whilst on a third touch-and-go. The plane touched down but then yawed right to left to right again before the wing clipped the ground causing the plane to flip and come to rest inverted across a taxiway. All 6 crew were killed. - On 8 January 1987, Middle East AirlinesMiddle East AirlinesMiddle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. , more commonly known as Middle East Airlines , is the national flag-carrier airline of Lebanon, with its head office in Beirut, near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport...
Boeing 707-323CBoeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
OD-AHB was destroyed by shelling after landing. - On 25 January 2010, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409 was an international scheduled Beirut–Addis Ababa passenger service that plunged into the Mediterranean Sea shortly after take-off from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport on , killing all 90 people on board.-Aircraft:...
crashed into the Mediterranean SeaMediterranean SeaThe Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
shortly after take-off. The flight had 90 passengers, about 54 of which were Lebanese, and was bound for the EthiopiaEthiopiaEthiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n capital of Addis AbabaAddis AbabaAddis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
.