Beirut Airport to expand

Annual capacity to reach nine million passengers

A plan to expand the Rafic Hariri International Airport is being considered by the government. The Cabinet will soon assign a consulting company to explore the project.

Ghazi Aridi, Minister of Public Works and Transportation, said: “The goal behind the expansion is to increase the airport’s capacity.” He said the plan is to raise the annual number of passengers that can be processed by the Airport from six million to nine million.

The government has not yet agreed which firm will conduct the study. “Dar Al Handasa initiated studies but has not finalized them yet,” Aridi said. He said the expansion would include the construction of more runways and more arrival and departure gates, as well as new buildings.

The Ministry of Public Works and Transportation conveyed applications and suggestions of consultancy firms that could potentially carry out the study, to the ministerial committee tasked with discussing the issue. Aridi said: “The timeline of the project will be decided once the consultant firm is designated.”