Turkish Airlines (THY), Turkey’s national carrier, has restarted its flights to Beirut following a ceasefire reached between Israel and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah last week, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
THY halted its flights to Beirut out of safety concerns on September 21 due to escalating tensions and clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, which also prompted many international carriers to halt their flights to Rafik Hariri International Airport (RHIA) in Lebanon.
According to an announcement on THY’s website, flights to Beirut, which resumed on Tuesday, will operate once daily for the next two days. Starting December 6, the frequency will be increased to two flights a day.
The flights will continue on the previous schedule of four flights per day starting December 11.
After the announcement, travelers quickly filled all available seats on THY flights to Lebanon on December 4 and 5, according to a query on the THY website.
In the wake of the ceasefire reached between Israel and Hezbollah, which took effect on November 27, several airlines have announced their intention to resume flights to RHIA, while others have decided to wait until the holiday season is over.
Middle East Airlines, the flag carrier of Lebanon, has been the only airline serving the Lebanese capital for the past two months.
