BEIRUT Airport
 

:suspect:
I posted the first thread. I did so to let people know what was happening thinking it would generate talk about the industry upon which this forum is based. Contributors thought of it differently.

Perhaps if we discuss the aviation industry relevance it can stay on this forum.

PE

I consider it Big news.
Any aircraft at BEY stranded and unable to get out? TV footage from the BBC showed what looked like a demic TMA B707F in the background.

Bmed
 

Are Bmed still operating to BEY?

The whole issues raises concerns not just throughout the middle east but for the whole globe with implications for travel to the Middle East without doubt.

Anyone know of any stranded aircraft? Do BMed overnight there ?

Awaiting a ramp up in the United States alert status any day now.......:rolleyes:

Tofster, thats what I was thinking with their A321s from LHR. I am sure that they do still have it in their schedule.

I was planning on a trip to BEY in Sept to visit an old mate who works on an English radio station there. Might reconsider now which is a great pity as I love Beirut, definitely one of the most fascinating places in the Middle East.

Looks pretty grim, CNN reporting all three runways hit, so it may be some time before anything gets out of there which is worrying in a country with pretty much only one airport.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/407...1h6quvo5fs.jpg

Most European flights from BEY depart in the small hours, but off the top of my head the morning Royal Jordanian and Cyprus Airways flight might be stuck in there. I'd imagine the Israelis chose their moment carefully so as not to upset the Western carriers too much.

EDIT: Latest reports are that not all runways hit and the MEA fleet is to be relocated to Larnaca for now.

'Lebanon's Rafik Hariri International Airport is closed after the Israeli air force attacked the facility and damaged its runways, the director general of civil aviation said.

``We are currently assessing the damage to see when we can reopen the airport,'' Hamdi Shawk said today in a telephone interview from Beirut. No one was hurt in the attack, he said.

Israeli's military is attacking targets across Lebanon after forces from the Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah crossed the border into the north of Israel yesterday, starting clashes that led to the death of eight Israeli soldiers and the capture of two others. Israel's government said Beirut airport is being used to transfer Hezbollah arms.

``There is no truth to Israeli claims'' the airport is used to smuggle weapons, Hezbollah spokesman Hussain Nabulsi said in a telephone interview from Beirut.

Emirates, the biggest Arab airline, British Airways, Lufthansa and other carriers diverted flights and canceled others till further notice. Middle East Airlines, Lebanon's national carrier, said it sent more than half its fleet to Cyprus as a ``precautionary measure'' before the Israeli strike.

MEA, as the carrier is also known, sent six of its nine aircraft to Cyprus late yesterday, Nizar Khoury, the head of the airline's commercial department, said in a telephone interview from Beirut. Two returned this morning minutes before the Israeli attack, Khoury said.

No planes were damaged in the attack, Khoury said.

Canceling Flights

``Due to ongoing military operations'' in Lebanon, Emirates flights between Dubai, U.A.E., and Beirut today and tomorrow have been canceled, the Dubai-based airline said in e-mailed answers to questions.

Emirates operates 13 flights to Beirut a week from its hub in Dubai. Transit passengers traveling to the Lebanese capital will be put up in Dubai hotels, the carrier said.

Ian Ferguson-Brown, a spokesman for Etihad Airways, said Etihad's daily flights between its Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. and Beirut are ``canceled until further notice in light of the security situation there.''

British Airways Plc, Europe's third-largest airline, flies a daily London Heathrow to Beirut route operated by a franchise partner, British Mediterranean Airways. The route has been suspended until further notice.

`Incredible Route'

``Beirut has been an incredible route for us,'' said British Mediterranean spokeswoman Alex McHaines in a telephone interview today. ``It was our company launch route, we've flown it for 11 years and in the summer months it is almost full.''

British Mediterranean's plane, a 149-seat Airbus SAS A321 in British Airways livery, had left Beirut airport before the attack by Israel's air force, McHaines said.

``Our flights to Beirut are being diverted to Alexandria in Egypt. Beirut is important for businessmen and we may be able to get them there via other Middle Eastern destinations,'' McHaines added. ``We don't know if it'll take days or weeks to repair the runway.''

McHaines declined to comment on Israeli claims Beirut airport is used as a supply route for Lebanon's armed Islamic group Hezbollah.

``We don't know yet what kind of escalation could come today or through the night,'' Thomas Jachnow, Deutsche Lufthansa AG spokesman in Frankfurt said. ``Security is obviously our top priority, so we'll remain in close contact with the authorities as the situation develops.''

Refunding Tickets

The airline hasn't decided whether to cancel its 9:25 a.m. flight from Frankfurt tomorrow, he said. The German airline has three flights a week between Frankfurt and Beirut.

Russia's OAO Aeroflot canceled a flight today to Beirut and passengers can exchange tickets or refund them without penalty, the airline said in an e-mailed statement.

``Our flight made it back from Beirut this morning without problems, so we're assessing the situation and haven't yet decided if we'll fly there tonight,'' Johann Jurceka, spokesman for Austrian Airlines Group in Vienna, said.

Austrian Airlines operates six roundtrip flights a week, every day except Tuesday, with a 150-seat Airbus A320 that leaves Beirut at 4:05 a.m. and leaves Vienna at 11:10 p.m.

Just out of intrest who covers the cost of HOTAC in this case? Would the airline have special insurance?

The only reason I mentioned bmed was because I was hostie for them for a couple of years. I have tried to get in contact with some former flying friends there but have heard little back. I just wanted to make sure no friends were in BEY right now. Of course my sympathies go out to all of those concerned.

BMED report all their aircraft were away from Beirut at the time and that all their staff in Beirut are safe and well.

Fargoo :ok:

I believe the passengers would be on their own as airline tariffs rule out any compensation for events caused by War, Civil unrest, Riot etc.

However I guess the real answer is that it would depend upon the good will / policies of the airlines involved.

Of a greater concern is will this be the match that ignites the Middle east as a whole?

Well, after about 8 months I finally had a BEY last night. The aircraft came in late from AMS and we departed PRG almost an hour late. This meant that my departure from BEY was about 50 minutes late, just at the crack of dawn. My wife woke up to the news on CNN shortly after I arrived at PRG, not knowing anything I was quite surprised to get a panic phone call from her.........so, in line with that I think I'll go out and buy a lottery ticket...Cheers, from one happy camper in the east bloc:) .

Gents, I would keep this a discussion about airport operations only, lest it deteriorate into a political debate. See: Jet Blast forum! :ouch:

Are any of the taxiways long enough to allow any departures? I realize that most taxiways are not stressed for landing, however, they can be used for takeoff if undamaged and long enough.

If the taxiways could be used for takeoffs at least the stranded aircraft could be evacuated.

Taxiway's would be more than long enough to allow an empty a/c, with a light fuel load, to takeoff from.

They only need enough fuel to fly to the nearest major airport where they could refuel. How far's Tel Aviv? :ooh:

The whole Lebanese airspace is under Israeli survailance. Any aircraft flying in or out of BEY will be considered a target. Certainly, NO professional pilots will do it anyway and definitely NOT to TLV...

Beirut to Tel Aviv in the current (or indeed any normal) situation... really?

Larnaca would probably be a better bet for anything given diplomatic/Israeli military approval for a minimum fuel departure.

Terrible news... used to fly across from RAF Akrotiri to Beirut for regular weekend fixes whilst working for BFBS in Cyprus. Nothing like being met by a bloke with a gun who took you through customs etc!

Great place to visit and here's hoping for a safe outcome for all concerned.

Apparently MEA have managed to fly 5 of their aircraft out to safe keeping in Larnaca!!!
Bmed crew were safely driven to Damascus and flown home from there.
Air France crew still stuck in Beirut I believe.

What about aircraft? Are there many stuck there on the ground?

If so whose are they? There was a picture on the front of the Telegraph this morning with a 737 in the foreground but couldnt see whose it was.

Is there an A321 of BMED or did it get out? The only footage I have seen appears to show the runway damaged at both ends surely if this is the case ? Surely you destroy the runway in the middle?