The number of passengers travelling via the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport (BRHIA) contracted by 45 percent in February 2021, compared to the same period 2020, and 76 percent compared to February 2019.

Just 141,512 people used the airport last February, almost evenly split between departures and arrivals, compared to 255,290 in February 2020.

The number of arrivals reached 67,316 during February, compared to 221,850 in the same period of 2020. The number of departures dropped by 69 percent registering 72,803. Transit passengers reached 1,393 registering 57 percent increase.

The number of flights for the airline companies that used RHBIA dropped by 57 percent registering 1,750 during February, compared to 4,066 flights in February 2020.

The number of flights that arrived to Lebanon dropped by 57 percent last February compared to the same period in 2020, reaching 878 flights. Flights departing from Lebanon also dropped by 57 percent during that period reaching 872 flights.

The number of passengers during the first ten days of March reached 58,918 declining by 54 percent compared to the same period in 2020.

These indicators reflect the severe impact of coronavirus pandemic on the aviation sector, which deepened the economic crisis in the country. There aren’t any measures taken so far that paves the way for recovery.