easycharter’s Airport of the Month for September 2021 is Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (IATA: BEY, ICAO: OLBA)
Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (33°49′16″N 035°29′18″E) is the international airport of Beirut, Lebanon.
Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport is located in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, 9 km from the center of the city. Its designated field elevation is 27 m above mean sea level.
BEY serves as a hub for Middle East Airlines (MEA), which has its corporate headquarters and training center at the airport. It serves as the main port of entry into Lebanon, along with the “Port of Beirut” before the August 4, 2020 blast. The massive explosion on August 4, 2020, caused moderate damage to the terminal buildings. However, flights to the airport resumed after the explosion.
In 2019, BEY handled 8’689’603 passengers and 72’279 aircraft movements.
The only operational commercial airport in the country, BEY operates regular scheduled and charter flights to numerous international destinations.
Airport Infrastructure and Passenger Services at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport…
BEY has three operational runways: Runway 03/21 (concrete), Runway 16/34 (concrete), and Runway 17/35 (asphalt). Runways 03/21 and 16/34 are concrete in nature. Runway 17/35 is asphalt in nature.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) operates the airport’s air traffic control (ATC). In fact, the DGCA manages and operates the entire airport, along with Lebanon’s airspace.
BEY’s U-shaped terminal building consists of two parallel wings, the East and West Wing, joined together by the main terminal.
BEY’s main terminal has four levels. The ground level features the main arrival area and a section of duty-free for arriving passengers next to the baggage claim. The second level features the departure area, ticketing, security checkpoint, customs and immigration, in addition to the primary duty-free shopping area. The third level features all private airline lounges, prayer rooms, and a restaurant. The fourth level mainly features airport administration offices.
Each of the East and West wings includes its own departure gates. The East and West wings also feature cafes, newsstands, tourism shops, and smaller duty-free shopping areas.
Beirut Rafic International Airport includes banks, a post office, prayer rooms, and a tourist information center. In addition, BEY offers passengers 5G internet services for 2 hours free of charge.
Ground Transportation at BEY…
Public transportation to the airport does not exist, except for taxis. The airport, however, has a three-level car park with a total capacity of 2’350 cars. The Lebanese Commuting Company (LCC) Bus Route 1 takes passengers from the airport roundabout to Rue Sadat in Hamra. LCC Bus Route 5 takes passengers to the Charles Helou bus station.
Office des Chemins de Fer et des Transports en Commun (OCFTC) buses number 7 and 10 also stop at the airport roundabout, on their way to central Beirut.
For more information on Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, click here!
Enjoy last month’s airport of the month here!
