Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport
مطار رفيق الحريري الدولي

BeirutAirport.jpg
IATA: BEY – ICAO: OLBA
Summary
Airport type Commercial
Operator Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) S.A.L.
Serves Beirut, Lebanon
Elevation AMSL 87 ft / 27 m
Website www.BeirutAirport.gov.lb
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
03/21 3,800 12,467 Concrete
16/34 3,395 11,138 Concrete
17/35 3,250 10,663 Asphalt
17/35 runway currently closed

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (formerly Beirut International Airport or Khaldé International Airport) (IATA: BEY, ICAO: OLBA) (Arabic: ‎مطار رفيق الحريري الدولي) 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 currently grounded cargo carrier Trans Mediterranean Airways (more commonly known as TMA Cargo), as well as the new start-up charter airline, MenaJet.

It is the main port of entry into the country along with the Port of Beirut. The airport was selected by the famed "Skytrax Magazine" as the second best airport and aviation hub in the Middle East; it came just behind Dubai International Airport.

The airport is operated and maintained by Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national carrier, MEA. MEAS conducts all airport operations from cleaning the bathrooms to de-rubberizing the runways. Operations are regulated by the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA), the Lebanese government agency which sets aviation guidelines, safety standards, etc. The LCAA is also responsible for operating the air traffic control (ATC) at the airport as well as regulating Lebanon's airspace.

Contents

History

Inauguration

The airport opened on April 23, 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.

Name Change

On June 22, 2005, Beirut International Airport was renamed Beirut Rafik[1]Hariri International Airport in honor of the assassinated former prime-minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri.[2]

A premier Middle East hub

The airport grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East 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 commando raid

Main article: 1968 Israeli raid on Lebanon

In response to an attack on an El Al 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

Beirut Airport in 1982

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.

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.

Inside the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport.

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 redesignated 16/34 and runway 18/36 was redesignated 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 operators and VIP charter providers have moved their operations to this state-of-the art terminal.

More damage, during the 2006 Lebanon War

Main article: 2006 Lebanon 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 Force as part of the 2006 Lebanon War. The Israeli Air Force claimed at the time that Hezbollah had received a weapons shipment there.[3] The runways were rendered inoperative and the Lebanese Government declared that the airport was closed until further notice.[4]

Shortly thereafter, MEA used one of the long taxiways at the airport to evacuate 5 of its aircraft (4 Airbus A321 and 1 Airbus A330).

Limited activity at Beirut Rafik Hariri International 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 Amman, followed by a Royal Jordanian flight also from Amman. This marked the first commercial flight arrival at Beirut Rafik Hariri 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 - Regular flight schedules resume

On Thursday, September 7, 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 Airlines flight landed at the airport. Over the next couple of days, more airlines resumed flights to the airport, including Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia, Air France, British Airways (BMED), Cyprus Airways, Egypt Air, Air Algerie, Royal Air Maroc, Jat Airways and Gulf Air.

US - Lebanon 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 847. 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.”

2008 closure of the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport

On Wednesday 7 May 2008, Lebanon's Hezbollah under the pretext of labor demands closed roads to the airport from 9:00 am till 7:00 pm. The following day, tensions were high in the city and the airport only accepted a few flights before shutting down completely. On May 15, 2008, the airport reopened after roads leading to the airport were cleared of baracades.

Future 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 future 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.

Longer-term plans include adding 7 more gates to the terminal, some of which can handle the upcoming Airbus A380. However, it is unknown whether the recent damages sustained by the Lebanon-Israeli conflict of 2006 will affect the current plans.

In 2035 the airport is expected to handle about 16,000,000 passengers per year.

Passenger Terminal

3 MEA A321s parked at the west wing.

The modern terminal consists of 23 gates, 21 of which have jetways, two of which are dual jetway gates for large aircraft.

The terminal consists of two wings joined together by the main terminal. 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. The terminal is capable of handling 6 million passengers.

The terminal consists of 4 levels. The ground level is the arrival area, the 2nd level is the departure level and the gates area, the 3rd level houses the airline lounges, and the 4th level houses the airport administration offices.

Statistics

Passenger use, total cargo, and aircraft movemens have steadily increased since 1990.[1]

Statistics for Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport
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

Passenger services

Duty free shops

Duty Free at Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport

The airport has a very extensive Duty Free section with a wide array of shops ranging from Lebanese souvenirs to perfumes. Most of the shops are located in the departure zone right after clearing passport control; however, there are a number of shops in the arrival zone as well.

Cafes and restaurants

The airport recently opened a full service restaurant in the arrival zone called Akle as well as a cafe called Cafe Matik. In the departure zone on the 3rd level, a Japanese seafood bar called SALT was opened. In each of the wings, a cafe is located shortly after clearing customs. There are still plans to open more restaurants and cafes.

Airline ticket offices

Four airline ticket offices are located in the airport. They include Middle East Airlines, Air France, bmi and Cyprus Airways.

Banks and ATMs

The airport has a bank operated by Byblos Bank, one of the top Lebanese banks. They have a main branch in the departure level, three stands in the arrival level, as well as four ATMs scattered throughout the terminal.

Tax refund for VAT service is also provided.

Postal service

The arrival level contains a post office operated by the state postal service, LibanPost. There are postal drop off boxes located throughout the terminal.

Airline lounges

The airport has three airline lounges located on the mezzanine level above the Duty Free area in the departure area. The largest lounge is MEA's Cedar Lounge which occupies half of the available lounge space. On August 1, 2005, the newly expanded and upgraded Cedar Lounge was opened. It is currently ranked as the best business class lounge in the Middle East. Most airlines serving Beirut simply choose to use the Cedar Lounge for their premium passengers which is the reason for the few airline lounges in the airport. The other two lounges are Saudi Arabian Airlines' Golden Lounge and the LAT Lounge operated by the ground handler, Lebanese Air Transport (LAT). Most airlines serving Beirut use the Cedar Lounge, however there are a number who use the smaller LAT Lounge. Saudi Arabian Airlines is the only carrier which uses the Golden Lounge.

Internet access

Internet access is provided in the airport. There are 15 Internet kiosks scattered throughout the departure gates and 2 Internet kiosks located in the arrival area. In addition, there is wireless hotspot access covering the departure gates, the arrival hall, as well as the VIP lounges. 30 minute cards may be purchased for $5 and 75 minute cards may be purchased for $10.

Public telephones

Public telephones are numerous and scattered throughout the terminal.

Parking

The airport has a 3-level car park with a total capacity 2350 cars. Part of the car park is currently sealed off and will be opened in the future when needed.

Car rental

There are 7 rental car companies in the airport. They are Avis, Budget, Ca Trans, City Car, Europcar (01 629 888), Hertz, and Hala. Their desks are located in the arrivals level.

Public transportation

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, and 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. Regular taxis are also available and are located a little farther from the airport, but these are not guaranteed and are to be used at ones own risk. 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. Bus shelters are already constructed at the airport.

Airport services

Ground handling providers

The airport has two ground handling operators, 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 specializes 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.

Fixed Base Operators (FBO)

The airport is home to four fixed base operators for private aircraft.

MEAG recently launched its own fixed base operator services with the opening of the new General Aviation Terminal called Cedar Jet Center. It is now regarded as the top FBO in the airport.

Another leading FBO is Aircraft Support & Services (ASAS) which specializes 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, Inc. 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 747s.

LAT offers limited fixed base operator services for private and executive aircraft.

Aircraft maintenance providers

The airport is the homebase of MidEast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO), an aircraft maintenance provider that specializes in all kinds of maintenance for Airbus aircraft, particularly the A320 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. In addition to maintaining MEA's fleet, MASCO currently has a contract to conduct C Checks for Cyprus Airways' A319 and A320 fleet. MASCO also maintains Menajet's single A320 aircraft. MASCO does routine line maintenance for a number of carriers serving the airports. They have received a number of awards for their high quality maintenance services.

Airline catering

The airport has one catering company named Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC).

Airlines and destinations

Cargo airlines

DHL operates flights to Beirut on an ad-hoc basis.

TMA - Trans Mediterranean Airways, a Lebanese private cargo carrier is currently not flying as its fleet was grounded. It's future fate is uncertain at the moment.

Saudi Arabian Airlines Cargo is a periodic visitor.

References

  1. ↑ French transliteration.
  2. ↑ Rhf.org.lb
  3. ↑ Israelis Enter Lebanon After Attacks
  4. ↑ CNN Report: Israeli warplanes hit Beirut suburb

External links