Airlines Gradually Resume Flights to Beirut Amid Ceasefire

Following the ceasefire agreed upon in late November 2024 between Israel and Hezbollah, airlines are cautiously resuming operations to Lebanon’s primary air gateway, Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY). The recent escalation in hostilities between Israel and Lebanon had led to a halt in many international flights, but with the ceasefire in place, a gradual return to normalcy is underway.

Several Arab carriers have already resumed their services to Beirut, while Western airlines are taking a more cautious approach, delaying the restart of their operations. Lebanon is expecting a substantial return of scheduled international flights by mid-December 2024, with airlines that had suspended services during the recent tensions planning to return. Notably, the national carrier, Middle East Airlines, has continued flying throughout the unrest, albeit at a reduced capacity.

On December 4, 2024, Ali Hamieh, Lebanon’s Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport, announced the approval of the resumption of airline operations to and from Beirut International Airport. “Most Arab and foreign airlines should be back to normal operations by mid-December,” Hamieh said, highlighting the importance of resumed flights coinciding with the busy holiday travel period.

The resumption of flights is seen as a vital step in Lebanon’s recovery efforts. It is an essential part of the nation’s bid to restore some normalcy for its citizens, particularly in light of the recent political and security challenges. While some airlines are seizing the opportunity to cater to the surging holiday travel demand, others are opting to wait and observe how the fragile ceasefire holds up over the coming weeks.

Among the airlines that have already resumed flights is Royal Jordanian, which resumed its daily flights between Amman and Beirut on December 1, 2024. Turkish Airlines, which had initially planned to restart services on November 30, 2024, delayed its first flight from Istanbul to Beirut until December 3, 2024.

Additional airlines are set to resume flights in the coming days. Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed that it will restart its services between Beirut and Addis Ababa on December 8, 2024. Qatar Airways will resume operations to Beirut from its hub in Doha on December 9, 2024, with a daily round-trip flight. Emirates is also expected to restart flights to Beirut on December 9, 2024, followed by Etihad Airways, which plans to begin flights from Abu Dhabi on December 18, 2024.

EgyptAir is tentatively planning to resume flights from Cairo to Beirut on December 17, 2024, though this date is yet to be confirmed. Iraqi Airways has also announced plans to gradually restore flights from Baghdad, Najaf, Sulaymaniyah, and Erbil to Beirut, starting December 8, 2024, with an official announcement pending.

On the Western front, Air France announced on December 2, 2024, that it would keep its Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Beirut flights suspended until January 5, 2025, citing “ongoing security concerns.” Similarly, the Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Eurowings, has indicated that it is unlikely to resume services to Beirut before March 2025.

Middle East Airlines continues to operate a fleet of 22 aircraft, including A320s, A321neos, and A330-200s, covering 37 routes to 32 destinations across 23 countries.

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