Lebanon Works on Maintaining Beirut Airport Operation Amid Russian Drills

The Lebanese Transport Ministry said it is working out a set of measures to maintain operations of the Beirut international airport during the three-day Russian military drills in the Mediterranean Sea.

BEIRUT (Sputnik) — The Lebanese Transport Ministry is working out a set of measures to maintain operations of the Beirut international airport during the three-day Russian military drills in the Mediterranean Sea, the ministry said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.

According to the statement, earlier in the day, Lebanon received an urgent message from Russian civil aviation authorities, requesting the free use of air space above a specific area due to Russian naval drills planned for November 21-23.

"Since these events will affect takeoffs and landings at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport due to the closure of certain routes, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport initiated creation of an emergency task force to take the necessary measures," the statement says.

The measures include establishing contacts with International Civil Aviation Organization and the authorities responsible for aviation to ensure continuous air traffic at the airport and compliance to the maximum level of public safety.

Earlier on Friday, a source at the Beirut international airport told Sputnik that a number of airlines were taking measures to change flights and find a new route in the event of the airport's closure.