Trump Directs Opening of Direct US-Lebanon Flights After 40-Year Ban

Following a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, US President Donald Trump announced the lifting of a four-decade-old ban on direct flights between the United States and Lebanon. The ban, established in 1985 following the hijacking of TWA Flight 847, has long restricted direct air travel between North America and Beirut. While the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Department are moving to implement the directive, Lebanese aviation officials caution that practical flight resumptions will take several months due to required feasibility studies, safety assessments, and formal bilateral civil aviation negotiations.

// Background

Direct flights between the US and Lebanon were suspended during the Reagan administration in 1985 after the 17-day hostage crisis involving the Hezbollah hijacking of TWA Flight 847 and the murder of a US Navy diver. The restriction outlasted Lebanon's civil war and political shifts, forcing North American travelers to use layovers in Europe, the Gulf, or regional hubs.

// Key Developments

• US President Donald Trump directed his administration to permit American air carriers to operate direct flights to Lebanon.
• The flight prohibition had been in place since 1985 following Hezbollah's hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
• Lebanon's Civil Aviation Authority stated a feasibility study taking one to two months and formal bilateral negotiations are required before flights can resume.
• The US decision could also clear the way for direct flights between Lebanon and Canada, which were previously blocked by US restrictions.