The ceremony began with the national anthem, followed by a welcome speech by Daniel Al-Atrash, before Minister Rasamny unveiled the memorial plaque and cut the opening ribbon, then toured the audience in the salon in its new look.
Minister Rasamny confirmed in a speech, “The opening of the Salon of Honor constitutes a new station within an integrated plan to develop Rafic Hariri International Airport, about two months after the opening of the departure lounge,” noting that “the Ministry intends to open a new facility every three months.”
He stressed that “the priority since assuming his duties has been to enhance the security and safety of travelers,” and said, “There is no airport without security and safety,” thanking the Ministers of Interior and Defense, the leadership of the Airport Security Service and other security services, for their efforts to ensure the security of the vital facility.
He added: “The airport is not just a transportation facility, but rather it is the first interface for Lebanon, and it must reflect the country’s image, culture and history to visitors,” stressing that “the development plan is beginning to show its results one by one.”
Rasamny explained, “The new Salon of Honor extends over an area of approximately 1,100 square meters, can accommodate about 83 people, and includes an integrated kitchen and modern equipment that keeps pace with the best standards,” praising engineer Joe Farah, who supervised the implementation of the project.
He pointed out, “The development work will not stop, but rather includes improving restrooms, modernizing inspection and scanner devices, and rehabilitating the runways, in addition to major investments in the airport’s infrastructure.”
He also announced, “The Ministry will open a fast track (Fast Track) during the next three months, giving travelers additional options and relieving pressure on traditional travel halls.”
He stressed, “The Ministry of Tourism will contribute to highlighting Lebanon’s cultural image within the various airport facilities, while the private sector will remain an essential partner in implementing projects, despite the financial and administrative challenges.”
He revealed, “The movement of arrivals has begun to regain its momentum, with the arrival of more than 12,000 passengers daily, after declining over the past months as a result of the security and exceptional circumstances.”
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For his part, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of Middle East Airlines, Mohammed Al-Hout, expressed his happiness at the opening of the project, noting that “Minister Rasamny has followed up on all the details related to the airport since assuming his duties, from security and cleanliness procedures to improving the traveler’s experience.”
He stressed, “The Minister launched a series of improvements despite limited financial capabilities,” praising “his speedy follow-up and accuracy in implementing projects.”
Al-Hout recalled the incident of closing the airspace during the escalation between the United States and Iran, revealing that he was “surprised by Minister Rasamni working personally inside the Middle East Airlines sales office to help stranded passengers and complete their reservations.”
Al-Hout announced Middle East Airlines’ readiness to participate in the Rafic Hariri International Airport expansion project, whose cost is estimated at about $500 million, stressing that “the project enjoys the support of the Governor of the Banque du Liban, Karim Saeed, and Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam,” expressing his hope that it will be completed during the era of President Joseph Aoun.
Minister Rasamny also thanked the completion of the formation of the General Civil Aviation Authority, the establishment of the Beirut International Airport Corporation, and the launch of the Qlayaat Airport project, stressing that “the latter constitutes an addition to Lebanese air transport and does not compete with Beirut Airport.”
Al-Hout praised the selection of Captain Muhammad Aziz to head the General Authority of Civil Aviation.
In turn, the Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Ahmed Al-Hajjar, considered that security is the basis for progress, and said: “The opening of the Salon of Honor represents a new step in the path of developing public facilities, despite the difficult circumstances that the country is going through.” He stressed, “Rafic Hariri International Airport is Lebanon’s gateway to the world,” stressing the readiness of the security services to maintain security and stability there, as in various Lebanese regions.
He welcomed the decision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to reopen the import of Lebanese products, pointing out that “the airport constitutes one of the main ports for export.” He also praised “the decision of the United Arab Emirates to allow its nationals to visit Lebanon,” considering that “these steps reflect the return of confidence in Lebanon and contribute to revitalizing tourism and economic activity.”
The project is the first comprehensive rehabilitation of the Salon of Honor since the opening of Rafic Hariri International Airport in April 1998.
The works included completely redesigning the salon, after it consisted of three small halls, a corridor, and back offices, to become three spacious reception halls, including two halls for non-smokers and a hall designated for smokers, while increasing the number of registration platforms from two to three, and raising the ceiling level by about 70 centimetres, which provided greater spaciousness and smooth movement.
The development work also included the construction of an integrated kitchen, service area, and new reception office, and the replacement of the entire electromechanical infrastructure, air conditioning, ventilation, and lighting systems, the baggage handling system (BHS), and the registration system, in addition to the rehabilitation of all health facilities using first-class equipment and materials.
The rehabilitation work extended to public security, customs and gendarmerie offices, arrival and departure corridors and checkpoints, thus enhancing operational efficiency and improving the quality of services, while the salon was now able to receive about 80 guests at the same time in accordance with the latest standards approved in international airports.
