Non-Subscriber Extract
Beirut counts cost of war
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| 06 December 2006 |
By Paul Cochrane
For nearly two months this summer, Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport was out of action, crippled by Israel's aerial attacks on its runways during the war with Hizbullah and by an air blockade that lasted long after the ceasefire had been put in place.
The airport and Middle East Airlines (MEA), which operates Rafik Hariri International, had both been experiencing an upsurge in traffic since Lebanon signed open skies agreements in 2002 and MEA overhauled its fleet.
The hostilities forced MEA to operate out of Damascus and later Amman, costing USD12 million to relocate operations and a further USD28 million lost in expected revenues.
Economic damage to the airport was both direct and indirect, although statistics on the losses incurred by the 90 airport operators are still being compiled, according to Hamdi Chaouk, director general of the CAA, the country's aviation operator and regulator. Infrastructure and fuel tank damage is estimated at USD8 million.
"In the summer we were expecting 20,000 passengers a day but it went to zero for two months," says Chaouk.
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© 2006 Jane's Information Group
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