Lebanese grapple with whether to flee as war looms and flights dwindle

Photo: Overcrowding at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport has led to accusations of some airport officials demanding bribe from those who want to have their travel procedures expedited.

BEIRUT — Vacations cut short, hurried goodbyes and last-minute flights at exorbitant fares — residents and tourists, heeding warnings of an impending war, are scrambling to leave summertime Lebanon as tensions build between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese ally.

The exodus from Lebanon began last week after back-to-back assassinations targeted a Hezbollah commander near Beirut and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Britain has ordered its citizens to “leave Lebanon now,” while Paris is urging French nationals to depart “as soon as possible.” The U.S. Embassy in Beirut, in an alert over the weekend, instructed Americans who wish to leave to “book any ticket available to them.”

Airlines grounding flights

More airlines are grounding flights to and from Israel, Jordan and Lebanon as tension in the Middle East grows.

Wizz Air has suspended all its flights to and from Israel and Jordan “due to the escalating situation in the region”.

Departures from Luton to Israel’s main airport, Tel Aviv, are currently suspended, along with a range of links from Continental Europe.

A spokesperson said: “Wizz Air regrets the inconvenience caused to the passengers due to the current situation and is offering affected customers a 120 per cent refund in Wizz credits, a full refund in the original form of payment or free rebooking options.”

British Airways, which had been operating via Larnaca in Cyprus, has also suspended flights from London Heathrow.

Surge in demand

The surge in flight demand caused plane ticket prices in Lebanon to skyrocket, as foreigners and tourists fear the war in the Middle East will expand, with Hezbollah’s complete confrontation with Israel.

Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport has been packed after America, France, Britain, and a number of other countries urged its citizens to leave the country..

Air France, Lufthansa, Royal Jordanian, and Transavia have canceled flights in recent days, as the Iranian backed Hezbollah militant group and Israel attacked each other with missiles