Report: Beirut Airport Freight under Scrutiny

Zoaiter Vows Freight Improvements at Beirut Airport after Coming under Scrutiny

Public Works and Transport Minister Ghazi Zoaiter vowed on Friday to improve conditions at Rafik Hariri International Airport after British Airways was ordered by authorities in London to stop cargo movements from the facility.

During a press conference, Zoaiter said: “The changes introduced by British Airways compel some changes at the airport.”

“The airport will get equipment to detect explosives,” he added.

As Safir daily reported on Friday that the airline has been ordered to stop the transport of goods starting March after the airport failed to meet international inspection standards.

Informed sources told the newspaper that other countries were mulling to take a similar decision if the facility's authorities did not seek to improve cargo inspection measures.

Britain's decision came in light of a study that placed Rafik Hariri International Airport in the same ranking as Sudan and Djibouti.

Such a dangerous ranking threatens to put Lebanon on the blacklist of freight traffic, the sources warned.

It could also affect passenger traffic, they said.

According to As Safir, revenues from cargo traffic at the airport reach around LL35.6 billion monthly.

The report comes after Health Minister Wael Abou Faour said last month that the conditions at the airport’s food and medicine warehouses remained "tragic.”

He has said there had been serious violations as a result of a lack of adherence to the guidelines of safe storage and handling of food and other goods.

G.K.

H.K.