Kuwait Airways conducted its final flight from Beirut to Kuwait on Sunday, August 4, 2024. The airline employed two flights to accommodate a significant number of passengers wishing to return to the Gulf country. Previously, the airline advised passengers to arrive at the airport four hours before their scheduled departure. Moreover, passengers can adjust their reservation dates through the airline’s ticket reservation channels. The company announced in a press release that this decision was made in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
On Wednesday, the DGCA confirmed ongoing coordination with the Foreign Ministry and Kuwaiti air carriers to reschedule flights to and from Beirut via Kuwait International Airport. In a statement, Kuwait Airways encouraged passengers needing to reschedule their bookings to contact from outside Kuwait at the hotline: 009611985181, 0096524345555 (171), or via WhatsApp: 0096522200171. Saudi Arabia and Oman have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon promptly due to the escalating security situation in the region. Oman's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised against travel to Lebanon and provided contact details for the Omani Embassy in Beirut for emergency situations. This advisory is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety and well-being of Omani citizens. The Saudi embassy in Beirut requested citizens to depart in accordance with the decision to ban travel to Lebanon, stating that it is closely monitoring developments in southern Lebanon.
Travelers faced long queues at Beirut airport on Sunday, with some cutting their summer holidays short, as airlines canceled flights and concerns grew over a potential full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah. The Hezbollah movement has engaged in near-daily clashes with Israeli forces in support of ally Hamas since Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war. However, the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah's military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut have prompted vows of retaliation from Iran and other Tehran-backed armed groups, including Hezbollah, escalating regional tensions. "I'm not happy to leave. I wanted to spend the entire summer in Lebanon before returning to work in France," said Joelle Sfeir from the crowded departure hall at Beirut airport. "My flight was canceled, and I was forced to book another ticket today," she told AFP. "I cut my trip short to find a flight," she added. Several airlines, including Lufthansa and Air France, have delayed or suspended flights to Lebanon, and countries have issued urgent calls for foreign nationals to leave in recent days.
