Beirut Airport….more arrivals in 2003 than any year in it's history

hi everyone,
Beirut International Airport has officially made its comeback from the civil war, welcoming more arrivals in 2003 than any other year in its history. And with continued record growth projected this year, and a dizzying number of new projects planned for the coming weeks and months, 2004 could prove even more pivotal. Hamdi Chouk, Lebanon’s civil aviation chief, says a series of sweeping new reforms are expected to catapult the recently completed facility “into the next era.”

Chouk attributes recent gains to the “open skies” policy, which was implemented in 2002 to lift restrictions on incoming passengers and aircraft. “It has put us on a world map in terms of being a country with a system that is liberal and open toward deregulation … and it has led Europe to consider Lebanon as the number one country in the region to renegotiate bilateral agreements.”

As first choice on the expanded EU’s renegotiation agenda for treaties with Middle Eastern airports, Lebanon and MEA are likely to benefit from priority access to Europe, including a possible one stop security check system – a breakthrough that would alleviate baggage delays and increase regional competitiveness.

And thanks to “completely new safety and security measures,” the International Civil Aviation Organization – a global authority on airport safety and security – issued a “very positive report” on Lebanon in 2003.

Although local security authorities are currently working with British and American officials, direct travel from US to Beirut and vice versa is still prohibited – “a political, not a technical issue,” he says, which could also be resolved this year.

to see the complete article, this is the link:
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=3&article_id=3308