Beirut Rafic Hariri Airport: US Lifts Flight Ban as ICAO Certification Lapses

On 30 September 2026, the US lifted its 41-year ban on direct flights to Lebanon. However, a Reuters report dated 16 October, detailing an unpublished internal September ICAO technical-assistance report (requested by the LCAA after a July mission), disclosed that Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY|OLBA) has an expired conditional certificate and safety gaps. This could potentially stall the resumption of direct flights.

Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works and Transport, Fayez Rasamny, stated, “Most of the issues highlighted in the report had already been identified by the LCAA, and corrective action had already been initiated”. War caused a delay, but recertification was due to start on Saturday, 17 October, and a conditional certificate is expected “in the coming days”.

The ICAO Technical Report Findings

According to Reuters, ICAO’s internal findings expose deficiencies across multiple regulatory frameworks, which we have mapped across the ICAO Annex Framework below:

  • Annex 14, Vol I (Aerodromes): Operating with an expired conditional certificate and no formalised Aerodrome Emergency Plan (AEP), which severely compromises multi-agency crisis response.
  • Annex 14, Chapter 9 (RFFS): Firefighting capacity is restricted strictly to single-aisle aircraft dimensions, not twin-aisle widebody aircraft used in long-haul operations.
  • Annex 1 (Personnel Licensing): The LCAA lacks qualified safety and ATC inspectors.
  • Annex 13 (Accident Investigation): There is no independent accident investigation authority.

These deficits are serious and must be addressed; however, BEY remains open. 

The report has not altered the EASA bulletin for Lebanese airspace, which remains unchanged through 16 November. Under EASA CZIB-2026-06-R2, Lebanese airspace is classified as high-risk due to the war, though conditional sea approaches and departures are permitted. EASA advises carriers to conduct independent risk assessments to operate safely.

Consequences for MEA

However, Lebanon’s National Airline, Middle East Airlines (MEA), could have its long-haul expansion plan directly hindered. Due to the strict RFFS limits, MEA’s incoming widebody fleet of four Airbus A330-900neos planned for international routes from Beirut may be limited until essential infrastructure upgrades are achieved.

Current MENA regional connectivity relies on two factors: narrow-body aircraft operations compliant with Beirut’s single-aisle RFFS limits, and MEA, which maintains a 7/7 safety rating, IOSA certification, zero fatal accidents in over 50 years, and an EASA Part 145-approved MRO division.

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