Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati held a meeting at the Grand Serail on Monday to discuss the situation at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Interior and Municipalities Judge Bassam Mawlawi, Tourism Walid Nassar, Public Works and Transport Ali Hammieh, as well as General Director of General Security Major General Elias al-Baysary, General Director of Civil Aviation Fadi al-Hassan, and Chairman of the Board and CEO of Middle East Airlines Mohammad El-Hout.
Hammieh stated after the meeting: “Today, we evaluated the services at Rafic Hariri International Airport, as part of our ongoing efforts to assess the airport’s situation.”
“This comes in the context of the Lebanese state’s financial crisis and the increasing number of tourists and expatriates arriving at the airport, which we haven’t seen since 2018. The number of departures reached around 17,000 passengers yesterday, and the number of arrivals sometimes reaches around 21,000 passengers, with an average of about 36,000 passengers per day.”
He added: “During the meeting, the Minister of Interior and Tourism, the General Director of General Security, the General Director of Middle East Airlines, and the General Director of Civil Aviation discussed various matters. An initial decision was made by General Security to assign 12 officers for guidance and assistance before the passport control process to ensure an organized and efficient procedure that takes no more than 30 minutes.”
Furthermore, he mentioned that General Security will maintain and repair the technical equipment and computers at the counters to maximize efficiency. Regarding luggage belts, there were no significant issues, but discussions were held with Middle East Airlines to increase the number of luggage carts provided by the company “Meez.”
Regarding customs, two additional gates for arrivals will be set up to alleviate congestion, a matter that has already been discussed with the Director-General of Customs.
As for inspection, seven scanners are currently operational, and maintenance will be conducted on the remaining scanners to bring the total number to nine.
Regarding airport cooling, precautionary measures have been taken, and an additional generator has been secured to support the air conditioning system.
Hammieh also emphasized the difficult circumstances faced by employees in the aviation sector, including those in the General Security, Customs, Internal Security Forces, and other agencies, urging appreciation for their dedication during these challenging times.
When asked about allocating additional funds to airport employees for better functioning, he explained that the airport’s revenues amount to around USD 250 million in cash. However, all revenues are transferred to the government’s treasury, and used to cover budget deficits and public sector salaries, including military, civilian, and administrative personnel, as well as part of the funds going to Electricité du Liban (EDL).
Nassar also expressed his hopes that the measures discussed in the meeting will improve the organization at the airport and make a positive difference for citizens and visitors.
