Stories
Trump Push to Resume US-Lebanon Flights Hits Major Roadblock
M
Moneycontrol•16-10-2026, 23:03
Trump Push to Resume US-Lebanon Flights Hits Major Roadblock
- •The United Nations aviation agency found that Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport lacks valid certification and a proper emergency plan.
- •US President Donald Trump had signed an order to allow direct flights from the US to Lebanon, reversing a four-decade suspension.
- •The ICAO report highlighted critical shortcomings, including inadequate firefighting resources for long-haul jets and a lack of qualified inspectors.
- •Lebanese officials stated that corrective actions are underway to address the safety concerns and issue conditional certification.
- •US airline officials remain doubtful that carriers will resume flights to Lebanon in the near term due to ongoing security and regional risks.
Key Questions Answered
Direct flights between the United States and Lebanon were suspended in 1985 during President Ronald Reagan's administration following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847 and the holding of American passengers hostage.
The ICAO report found that Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport lacks valid certification and an emergency plan, and its firefighting resources are only equipped for single-aisle planes rather than long-haul twin-aisle jetliners.
Lebanon's Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny stated that corrective actions were initiated and that efforts to certify the airport would begin on Saturday, with a conditional certification expected soon.
