Donald Trump wants nonstop flights between the United States and Lebanon to resume for the first time in four decades. There's just one problem: an international safety audit suggests Beirut's main airport isn't currently up to the job.
A Reuters report based on an International Civil Aviation Organization assessment found that Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport lacks valid certification and an emergency plan. Firefighting resources were judged insufficient for the widebody aircraft that long-haul routes require. The audit also flagged weak regulatory oversight — too few qualified inspectors and no fully functioning, independent accident investigation authority.
Lebanon's Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny says fixes are in motion. Certification work began on 17 October, with conditional certification expected soon, and he blames war for slowing progress. But three unnamed US airline officials told Reuters they don't expect American carriers to return to Beirut any time soon, citing security concerns — and FAA and TSA reviews would still be needed even after the political green light.
The ban dates back to the 1985 hijacking of TWA Flight 847, during which US Navy diver Robert Stethem was murdered. Trump announced his intent to lift the restrictions in July after meeting Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, and subsequently signed an order doing so. That's a significant diplomatic step, but it doesn't create a route. United, Delta or American would each still have to judge Beirut safe and commercially viable against competing destinations — and none is expected to rush in.
Why should travellers care? A nonstop would save diaspora families and business travellers a connection and hours of travel each way. For now, though, that convenience remains hypothetical. The safety findings concern basics most passengers never think about — working fire trucks, an emergency plan — and even a fully certified airport can't neutralise the risks of a widening regional conflict. Lebanon says it's addressing the gaps; how quickly and thoroughly it does so will determine whether this route ever leaves the runway.
