By Sumayya
US Leader Donald Trump has formally removed decades-old rules on flights to and from Lebanon, in a step that takes away single of the biggest law blocks to restarting direct flights between the two lands.
A presidential paper, signed by Trump on September 30 and printed in the US Federal Register, displayed that rules placed under presidential choices given out in 1985, 1992, 1998 and 2007 “remain no longer required to ensure the safety of airplanes running flights to or from Lebanon and to shield them from unlawful taking”.
Under Presidential Order 2026-25, Trump completely canceled the four choices and ordered the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to carry out the order instantly and to scrub any rules, laws, or orders that clash with it.
The topic of restarting direct flights between the two lands stood brought up during Lebanese Leader Joseph Aoun’s stay in Washington last July. The Lebanese presidency expressed at that duration that Aoun talked with Trump about the weight of returning direct air links between Lebanon and the United States, while the US leader expressed he failed to rule out the prospect of restarting flights.
The Lebanese Embassy in Washington welcomed the choice, viewing it a sign of trust in the safety steps taken by the Lebanese authorities, and a top initial step toward restarting direct flights between Lebanon and the United States.
Al-Sharq keeps learned that the Beirut-New York track remains the initial path being performed on to run as part of the plans to restart direct flights.
Lifting the rules fails to mean flights will launch instantly, as Beirut and Washington yet require to complete setup, safety, and working plans. No date keeps yet been fixed for the start of direct flights. The needed steps hold getting the required US clearances and setting up air transport plans between the two lands.
Middle East Airlines declared last July that it owns airplanes able to running a direct track between Beirut and New York, but hinted that carrying it out requires teamwork and completion of steps with the American flank.
