At Beirut airport, flights cancelled amid escalation

Beirut: Dozens of passengers at Lebanon s only international airport were anxiously checking announcement boards yesterday as more flights to the capi...

Beirut: Dozens of passengers at Lebanon’s only international airport were anxiously checking announcement boards yesterday as more flights to the capital were cancelled or delayed amid escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah.

Beirut International Airport was functioning but many passengers were stuck as major airlines announced flight suspensions, after Israel and Hezbollah announced broad strikes in an escalation of cross-border hostilities.

“We came at 4:30 am (0130 GMT) for our flight at 8:00 am but they told us it was cancelled,” said Elham Shukair, a passenger headed to the United States via Jordan.

Seated on her bag in the arrivals hall, she said she had booked another flight later yesterday with Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines in the hope of reaching Amman and making her onward connection.

Yesterday, other passengers sat on the floor in the departures hall as screens showed cancelled or delayed flights, while the arrivals area was largely empty.