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Privatising Beirut airport mooted by Progressive Socialist leader

LEBANON's Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt said he wants to explore privatising the Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport, following a tour of Middle East Airlines?(MEA) facilities.

At the end of the tour, Mr Jumblatt also suggested that an independent body be created, which would take full responsibility for the airport and its operation, reported the Lebanon Daily Star.

Mr Jumblatt, and Member of Parliament Ghazi Aridi, inspected a number of MEA operations at the airport, at the invitation of company chairman Mohammad al-Hout and was impressed with what he saw.

Delivering an odd prescription for a socialist, he said: "Maybe the airport should be privatised. This is an old idea, and [late former Prime Minister] Rafik Hariri had raised it."

Mr Jumblatt was referring to the tycoon-philanthropist prime minister, after whom the airport is named, who is credited with ending the 16-year civil war and launching the private sector-led national recovery programme that was cut short my his assassination in 2005.

The politicians began their tour at the new cargo centre, inaugurated in May. There, Mr Hout pointed out the features of the new structure, which incorporates a number of modern technologies to meet international standards.

The centre was designed to speed the inspection of goods, and is equipped to handle all types and sizes of cargo for import and export.

Mr Hout said the new centre can store up to 165,000 tons of cargo, compared to the old building's 65,000-ton capacity. He praised the role of the new facility in facilitating the transport of air cargo between Lebanon and abroad.

The politicians then visited the new flight simulator training centre at the Middle East Aviation Academy, where they were told about the latest methods of instruction.

It is hoped that the new centre can help restore the position of Beirut and its airport as a regional hub for air transport.

"There's no doubt that what Middle East Airlines has done is a great achievement," said Mr Jumblatt said.

"We hope that this achievement continues so that Lebanon and the Rafic Hariri International Airport returns to being a centre attraction. But it isn't enough."

Mr Jumblatt said there had been a "large decrease" in the number of air-traffic controllers, and a decline in the services of Middle East Airports Services. MEAS is a subsidiary of MEA.