Caretaker Minister of Public Works and Transport Ali Hamieh held a press conference at Beirut International Airport (BIA) on Thursday afternoon to outline the procedures and measures needed to ensure the smooth operation and safety of civil aviation. “In order to implement them, we had to obtain the approval of the Council of Ministers. These measures will eliminate 70% to 80% of the shortcomings,” he stressed.
Hamieh confirmed the need for specific radars and announced that funding, estimated at millions of dollars, had been allocated by the International Civil Aviation Organization. He added that he was waiting for the specifications to be finalized before launching the tender.
The Minister also referred to the maintenance of the passenger and cargo screening machines at all entrances to the airport, explaining that the Council of Ministers had authorized the General Directorate of Civil Aviation to sign maintenance contracts for these machines. The necessary funding has also been secured.
As for the air traffic controllers, he assured that the vacancy in this sector has existed since 2010. “We have approved a decree in the Council of Ministers to appoint 25 new air traffic controllers and ensure their training,” he said.
He also announced that work is underway to create a training center for air traffic controllers at the Middle East Airlines headquarters, which will be a regional center specializing in this field.
Regarding communications between BIA and other airports, Hamieh said, “The THALES company installed this network more than 20 years ago (1998) for continuous maintenance, but over time it became urgent to modernize it, and the Ministry received authorization to do so.”
“As for the flight control system that should be available in Lebanese airspace, we have been working on this issue with the International Civil Aviation Organization and have received funding, and we are currently corresponding with the Directorate General and the organization so that the contract can be signed soon,” he explained.
With regard to MEAS, the company responsible for the maintenance and operation of the airport, he announced that “a sum will be transferred – by decision of the Council of Ministers – so that this company can carry out the tasks assigned to it.”
With regard to the fast track corridor, he indicated that work would be resumed by the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) after it was suspended in 2017. This corridor will increase the airport’s capacity by around 2 million passengers and help to reduce congestion on the regular corridors.
