The Concorde's Landing In Beirut: An Airport's Claim To Fame

Concorde was an Anglo-French supersonic airliner that was jointly developed and manufactured by Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). It entered service on 21 January 1976, with flights operated by Air France and British Airways. While Concorde primarily flew between Paris, London, and New York, it also had other destinations, including Washington Dulles, Barbados, Bahrain, Miami, and Toronto. Additionally, Concorde was used for charter flights and promotional events, such as the Live Aid concert in 1985, where musician Phil Collins performed in London and Philadelphia on the same day.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport is the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon. It is located 9 kilometres from the centre of Beirut and serves as a hub for Middle East Airlines and other regional carriers. While the airport has a rich history and has undergone significant development, there is no specific mention of Concorde landing at this airport. The airport did experience a period of disruption during the 2006 Lebanon War when Israeli missile strikes damaged the runways, but it was quickly repaired and resumed commercial operations.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport is the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, previously known as Beirut International Airport, is the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon. It is located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) from the city centre. The airport is named after former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport serves as the main port of entry into Lebanon, alongside the Port of Beirut. It is managed and operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which operates within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport. The DGCA is responsible for air traffic control at the airport and for controlling Lebanon's airspace. They also handle maintenance tasks such as cleaning the terminal and de-rubberising the runways.

The airport was opened on 23 April 1954, replacing the smaller Bir Hassan Airfield located nearby. At the time, the terminal was considered very modern and featured a terrace with a café for plane spotters. The airport consisted of two asphalt runways, with one primarily used for landings and the other for take-offs.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport became a premier hub in the Middle East due to limited competition from neighbouring countries. It experienced fast and steady growth, with Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), and three other Lebanese carriers—Air Liban, Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA), and Lebanese International Airways (LIA), operating from the airport, along with numerous foreign carriers.

However, the airport suffered a setback in December 1968 when Israeli commandos launched a surprise attack, destroying 14 civilian aircraft operated by Lebanese carriers. This significantly impacted the Lebanese aviation industry, causing Lebanese International Airways to go bankrupt, while Middle East Airlines was able to recover quickly.

The Lebanese Civil War, which began in April 1975, further disrupted the airport's operations. It lost its status as a premier hub in the region and retained only two Lebanese carriers, MEA and TMA, during the conflict. Despite the war, the terminal was renovated in 1977 but sustained damage from Israeli shelling during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon. The airport also became the site of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing, which killed 241 American servicemen.

After the war ended in 1990, a massive reconstruction program was launched, including the construction of a new terminal, two runways, a fire station, a power plant, and an underground parking garage. The first phase of the new terminal was completed in 1998, and the entire project was finished by 2002, with the capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually. There are plans to expand the airport further to accommodate 16 million passengers by 2035.

In recent years, the airport has undergone additional renovations and expansions, including the installation of new customs counters and improved security measures. However, it has also faced security concerns, with allegations of Hezbollah's involvement in airport operations and the storage of Iranian weapons on the premises.

The airport is located 9km from Beirut's city centre

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon, is located 9km (5.6 miles) from the city centre. The airport is situated in Beirut's southern suburbs and is named after former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafic Hariri, who was assassinated in 2005.

The airport serves as a hub for Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), and previously for Lebanese cargo carriers TMA Cargo and Wings of Lebanon. It is the main port of entry into the country, alongside the Port of Beirut. The airport is managed and operated by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which operates within the Ministry of Public Works and Transport.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport opened on 23 April 1954, replacing the smaller Bir Hassan Airfield located nearby. At the time of its opening, the airport featured a modern terminal and an excellent spotters terrace with a cafe. It initially consisted of two asphalt runways: Runway 18/36, measuring 3,250 metres (10,663 feet), was primarily used for landings, while Runway 03/21, at 3,180 metres (10,433 feet), was mainly utilised for take-offs.

Over time, the airport grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East, benefiting from limited competition from neighbouring countries. However, the Lebanese Civil War, which began in April 1975, significantly impacted its status, resulting in the loss of most airline services except for Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways. Despite the conflict, the terminal underwent renovations in 1977 but suffered damage in 1982 due to Israeli shelling during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

In 1994, a ten-year reconstruction program was initiated, which included the construction of an additional terminal, two runways, a fire station, a power plant, a general aviation terminal, and an underground parking garage. The first phase of the new terminal was completed in 1998, and the entire project was finalised in 2002, with the capacity to handle 6 million passengers annually. The airport has continued to undergo renovations and expansions to enhance its facilities and improve security.

The airport was previously known as Beirut International Airport

The airport grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East, thanks to limited competition from neighbours. However, it lost this status with the start of the Lebanese Civil War in April 1975 and lost almost all its airline services, except for two Lebanese carriers: Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways. Despite the conflict, the terminal was renovated in 1977, only to be badly damaged in 1982 by Israeli shelling during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

In 1994, a ten-year reconstruction programme was launched, which included the construction of another terminal, two runways, a fire station, a power plant, a general aviation terminal, and an underground parking garage. The first phase of the new terminal was completed in 1998, with the second phase completed in 2000 and inaugurated in 2002. The new terminal can handle 6 million passengers annually and is expected to be expanded to accommodate 16 million passengers by 2035.

The airport was opened on 23 April 1954

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, previously known as Beirut International Airport, opened on 23 April 1954. At the time of its opening, the airport was considered very modern, featuring an excellent spotter's terrace with a cafe. The airport consisted of two asphalt runways. Runway 18/36, at 3,250 metres (10,663 ft) in length, was primarily used for landings, while runway 03/21, at 3,180 metres (10,443 ft) in length, was primarily used for take-offs.

The airport quickly grew to become a premier hub in the Middle East, thanks to limited competition from neighbouring countries and the fast and steady growth of Lebanon's four carriers at the time: Middle East Airlines (MEA), Air Liban, Trans Mediterranean Airways (TMA), and Lebanese International Airways (LIA).

However, the airport's status as a premier hub was short-lived. On the night of 28 December 1968, Israeli commandos mounted a surprise attack on the airport, destroying 14 civilian aircraft operated by Lebanese carriers. This caused serious devastation to the Lebanese aviation industry, and the airport lost most of its airline services, with the exception of Middle East Airlines and Trans Mediterranean Airways.

Despite the challenges, the airport continued to operate and underwent renovations and expansions over the years. In 1994, a ten-year reconstruction program was launched, which included the construction of a new terminal, runways, a fire station, a power plant, a general aviation terminal, and an underground parking garage. The new terminal was completed in two phases, with the first phase inaugurated in 1998 and the second in 2000. The new terminal can handle 6 million passengers annually and is expected to be expanded to accommodate 16 million passengers by 2035.

Today, Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport remains the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon and continues to serve as a vital gateway to the country.

The airport has two runways

In the 1990s, a massive reconstruction program was undertaken at the airport, which included the construction of two new runways. The new landing runway, designated 17/35, protrudes out into the sea at an angle to move landing traffic away from the city and improve safety. This runway is 3,395 metres (11,138 ft) long. A new take-off runway was constructed parallel to the old 03/21 runway and is the longest at the airport at 3,800 metres (12,467 ft).

The two new runways are constructed from concrete and feature advanced lighting systems and instrument landing systems. The old runways were redesignated 16/34 and 17/35 after more accurate runway heading measurements were conducted in 2004. While runway 17/35 is still open, it is rarely used.

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