The first stage of the project of expanding Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport was recently launched adding more than 38 passport control counters to the arrivals hall.
In this regard, Transport Minister Youssef Fenianos and Tourism Minister Avedis Guidanian inaugurated the first stage of the expansion of the Arrival Hall where they toured the General Security check-in and arrivals’ area as well as throughout the airport.
The two ministers then held a joint press conference at the New Press Hall in the Salon of Honor of the airport to explain the inauguration of the first stage of the expansion project.
From his side, Fenianos announced that 14 additional passport control counters had been set up in the arrival terminal and 24 counters were added and this would be raised to 34 by the end of June.
He pointed out that the goal of this new project is to facilitate to the Lebanese a quick arrival to the planes when traveling on holidays or back and forth to their work overseas, but also to facilitate quick arrival for visitors to Lebanon through the airport.
He took this opportunity to mention that we welcome tourists who are coming “to discover our country, and to live with us these times of (…) a rich and enjoyable summer.”
Speaking about the Salon of Honor at the airport, Fenianos explained that people who will use that facility could check-in their luggage and have them inspected in that Salon, hence they won’t have to arrive earlier for check-in or to send their bags ahead of time for check-in.
In his words, Guidanian praised the work of the transport minister and all the agencies who cooperated to the success of the project. He promised an excellent summer season, “hoping that we will meet at the end of the summer with another achievement.”
The airport expansion’s project was implemented around a month ago with the aim to improve passengers’ flow and relieve the hardships of Lebanese people traveling from and to this airport; especially after the airport made headlines last summer as passengers faced hourslong lines and heavy overcrowd as a result of system failures.
