Reviving Lebanon’s forgotten airport

The recent activation of Qleiaat Airport has reignited a long-standing debate about Lebanon’s aviation infrastructure. Today, changing political realities (especially the decline in Hezbollah’s influence in the country), economic pressures, and infrastructure needs have brought the issue back to the forefront. As discussions intensify around Qleiaat, attention is also returning to other airfields, especially Riyak and Hamat.

The reopening of the Qleiaat Airport

Following its official inauguration, Qleiaat Airport is set to enter an immediate phase of operational preparation under the company “Sky Lounges Services,” which won the public tender for its development and management. Preparatory works are expected to begin shortly, with full technical and logistical setup planned over the following months, aiming to make the airport operational for commercial flights within roughly three months.

The 4-year concession grants the operator full responsibility for equipping and running the airport, including the freedom to define its business model, whether for passenger or cargo operations, and to contract with selected airlines. In return, the Lebanese state will receive 10% of net profits, with a guaranteed minimum revenue of about $1.11 million over the contract period, in addition to applicable taxes and fees from all related activities.

At the same time, the government has launched a broader public-private partnership process with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to structure the long-term development and investment framework for Lebanon’s airports, including Qleiaat. In this context, the current concession is intended as an initial operational phase that activates the airport and helps define its future investment potential within a wider national aviation strategy.

Potential to revive other airfields

Lebanon’s aviation network includes several military bases and abandoned airfields that have repeatedly been discussed as potential assets for limited civilian or strategic use.

Riyak Air Base is one of the country’s oldest aviation facilities. Established during World War I and later expanded under the French Mandate, it became the birthplace of the Lebanese Air Force in 1949 and remains an important military base. Over time, it has been proposed for partial civilian use to support the Bekaa Valley’s agricultural and industrial sectors, which suffer from high transport costs. Suggested plans include using it for training, agricultural aviation, and limited cargo operations.

Hamat Air Base, on Lebanon’s northern coast, is primarily a military facility used for search-and-rescue missions, training, and troop transport. It has recently been identified as a priority for modernization, with reported plans to upgrade its runway and support infrastructure. While it remains a military base, there is growing discussion about its possible future use for both military and civilian purposes. Its position between Beirut and northern Lebanon also gives it strategic value as part of a more distributed airport system.

Lebanon also has several abandoned or failed airfields. These include Iaat near Baalbek and Rouda in the Bekaa, both of which were abandoned after damage and limited use. Halat Airport, built during the civil war, was never fully functional as a civilian airport. Baadaran in the Chouf region gradually shifted away from aviation use, while other small airstrips in Marjayoun, Jounieh, and Dekwaneh have disappeared or lost their operational role.

Ziad Al-Malla: A catalyst for northern revival

In light of the exclusive interview to The Beiruter with Ziad Al-Malla, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sky Lounges Services, noted that the decision to activate Qleiaat Airport reflects the government’s commitment to balanced regional development and revitalizing Lebanon’s long-neglected northern regions. He described the airport as a strategic economic asset capable of creating jobs, stimulating investment, and supporting growth in Akkar, Tripoli, and the wider North.

Al-Malla asserted that feasibility studies project approximately 114,000 passengers during the airport’s first year of operation, rising to around 600,000 by the fourth year. Beyond passenger traffic, plans include the development of a cargo village, positioning the airport to benefit from emerging sea-to-air cargo trends linked to the Port of Tripoli. He also highlighted the airport’s proximity to Syria’s coastline, which could attract significant passenger and commercial traffic.

Highlighting that Beirut Airport is already operating beyond its original capacity, Al-Malla argued that a second commercial airport has become a national necessity. He confirmed that work is progressing around the clock, with commercial flights targeted for launch by September or October, if not sooner.

We promise everyone that we are fully committed and that we are approaching this project with the same seriousness we pledged on Saturday.

MP Razi El Hajj: Qleiaat is only the first step toward reviving Lebanon’s aviation network

In an exclusive interview with The Beiruter, Lebanese Member of Parliament (MP) Razi El Hajj, in his part, noted that the reopening of Qleiaat Airport represents a milestone that extends far beyond aviation infrastructure. He argued that the project carries both political and economic significance.

Politically, the airport’s activation reflects what he described as the gradual liberation of the Lebanese state from decades of restrictions that prevented the development of alternative airports.

“The Lebanese state has begun to free itself from this grip and from the tutelage that it has suffered from since the era of the Assad regime, and which continued after the Syrian withdrawal in 2005 through the Axis of Resistance and Hezbollah in particular.”

According to El Hajj, opposition to opening additional airports was linked to efforts to preserve the strategic importance of Beirut’s airport and its surroundings as a source of political leverage. The reopening of Qleiaat, he said, signals a broader effort to restore state authority and move beyond the influence that has shaped Lebanon’s infrastructure policies for decades.

The second dimension is economic and developmental. El Hajj stressed that

no country can effectively rely on a single airport.

Modern economies depend on multiple airports, ports, border crossings, and transportation networks to facilitate trade, attract investment, and stimulate growth. He believed Qleiaat Airport can become a catalyst for economic development in Akkar and northern Lebanon, creating thousands of jobs and supporting new business opportunities, particularly once cargo operations are introduced. Despite growing competition from neighboring transport hubs, he argued that Lebanon still possesses a strategic geographic location that can be leveraged to strengthen its role in regional transit and logistics.

Furthermore, El Hajj also advocated the revival of other aviation facilities, particularly Hamat Air Base and Riyak Air Base. Hamat’s location between Beirut and Tripoli makes it strategically important as a central airport capable of serving a large segment of the population, while Riyak could become a major commercial and developmental driver for the Bekaa Valley, especially with improved transportation links between Beirut and the region. Beyond their civilian role, both airports could support military and security functions, contributing to border protection and strengthening state sovereignty.

According to El Hajj, efforts to advance these projects are being led by the Strong Republic Bloc in cooperation with other political and economic stakeholders. He noted that

the reopening of additional airports has been a longstanding objective and was included in the bloc’s 2022 electoral program.

As for why these projects have remained dormant for decades, El Hajj rejected the notion that technical or logistical challenges are the primary obstacle. Instead, he attributed the delay to political decisions that weakened state institutions and hindered long-term infrastructure development. With momentum now building around Qleiaat, supporters of airport expansion argue that the conditions may finally exist to revive Hamat, Riyak, and other facilities as part of a broader strategy to modernize Lebanon’s transportation network and promote balanced regional development.

To conclude, Lebanon’s forgotten airports tell the story of missed opportunities, political disputes, and decades of underinvestment. Nevertheless, era of relying exclusively on one airport may finally be coming to an end, replaced by a more resilient and nationally integrated aviation system.