Dozens of passengers at Lebanon’s solely worldwide airport had been anxiously checking announcement boards Sunday as extra flights to the capital had been cancelled or delayed amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.
Beirut Worldwide Airport was functioning however many passengers had been caught as main airways introduced flight suspensions, after Israel and Hezbollah introduced broad strikes in an escalation of cross-border hostilities.
“We got here at 4:30 am (0130 GMT) for our flight at 8:00 am however they informed us it was cancelled,” mentioned Elham Shukair, a passenger headed to america by way of Jordan.
Seated on her bag within the arrivals corridor, she mentioned she had booked one other flight later Sunday with Lebanon’s Center East Airways within the hope of reaching Amman and making her onward connection.
Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah motion has traded near-daily fireplace with Israeli forces in assist of ally Hamas for the reason that Palestinian militant group’s October 7 assault on Israel triggered the Gaza warfare.
However Israel launched air strikes into Lebanon on Sunday, saying it had thwarted a large-scale Hezbollah assault, whereas the Lebanese group introduced its personal cross-border strikes to avenge the killing of a prime commander, Fuad Shukr, in an Israeli strike final month.
Fears have spiked since Shukr’s killing that the cross-border violence may degenerate into all-out battle between Hezbollah and Israel, who final fought a devastating warfare in the summertime of 2006.
Israel bombed Beirut airport throughout that warfare.
On Sunday, different passengers sat on the ground within the departures corridor as screens confirmed cancelled or delayed flights, whereas the arrivals space was largely empty.
“Our flight continues to be scheduled however it’s delayed,” mentioned Diala Hatoum, who was set to journey along with her son on a Qatar Airways flight.
“We’ll see, we’re ready now,” she added.
– Stranded passengers –
Passengers at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport additionally confronted uncertainty after aviation authorities delayed or redirected flights.
The airport resumed operations from 7:00 am (0400 GMT) following a short suspension, however dozens of passengers had been left stranded after some flights had been cancelled or delayed.
“We actually desire a break from all of this… the scenario in Israel,” mentioned Sofia Levi, 23, a stranded passenger.
Shay Shauli, 45, who deliberate to fly to Athens, mentioned he had been ready on the terminal for greater than three hours.
“I’m ready to see if the flight continues to be going. If it doesn’t, then I would like to purchase a brand new ticket and it’s rather more costly,” he informed AFP.
Air France and its subsidiary Transavia mentioned they had been suspending flights to Beirut and Tel Aviv scheduled for Sunday and Monday, including that the transfer could possibly be prolonged relying on the scenario within the Center East.
Royal Jordanian Airways introduced the suspension of Beirut flights “as a result of present scenario”.
The UAE’s Etihad Airways mentioned it had additionally cancelled its providers on Sunday to and from Beirut and Tel Aviv.
On Friday, German airline large Lufthansa mentioned it was extending a suspension of flights to Beirut till September 30 and to Tel Aviv till September 2.
Lebanon’s civil aviation authority emphasised Sunday that “the airport is functioning usually” regardless of some disruptions.
There may be “no reality” to rumours that every one flights have been cancelled, mentioned a press release from the authority carried by the official Nationwide Information Company.
Quite a few airways had already introduced flight suspensions or cancellations to Beirut in latest weeks, with some later resuming providers.
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