Beirut International Airport (BIA) suffered a power outage this week that disrupted air-conditioning during one of the busiest periods of the year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said Wednesday.
According to the statement, the incident occurred amid a severe heatwave and record passenger traffic, with daily departures reaching about 20,000 – nearly double last month’s average – and arrivals reaching around 14,000. The surge coincided with the start of mass travel to Iraq for the Arbaeen pilgrimage, with some 12,000 pilgrims expected to depart and return within the week, alongside the arrival of about 8,000 Iraqi tourists drawn by special airline offers.
Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny is coordinating closely with Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi and Electricité du Liban (EDL) to address the outage’s impact and implement long-term measures to secure a stable power supply.
The DGCA apologized for any inconvenience or delays, praised travelers for their patience, and commended the “extraordinary efforts” of airport staff, security forces and service providers during the disruption.
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