Airport activity rose in 2013

Growth in airborne goods recorded

Activity at Rafic Hariri International Airport went slightly up in 2013, due to an increase in arrivals and departures, in parallel with a drop in transit.

The total number of airport passengers, including arrivals, departures, and transit, reached 6.3 million, up by five percent compared to 2012.

Arriving and departing passengers went up by 4.6 and 6.7 percent respectively, representing three million and 3.2 million. Transit passengers dropped by 67 percent, with a total of 156,000 passengers.

The number of national and foreign commercial flights dropped by 23 percent, due to a drawback in transit flights. Almost the same number of incoming and outgoing flights was made but transit flights plunged by 88 percent.

Private jets were recorded at 7,336 flights, dropping by 30 percent. Transit private flights also shrank, by 74 percent.

Airborne cargo grew by 25 percent to 105,570 tons. Incoming and outgoing goods went up 28 and 22 percent, respectively.