MEA continues to operate between Beirut and Heathrow, but its flights are sold out for a week (Picture: Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images)

British nationals have been told to leave Lebanon urgently – but it is easier said than done as several airlines have suspended flights.

The Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport remains open, but many airlines have cancelled flights, leaving those wanting to leave with limited options.

The tensions are high following the explosion of thousands of rigged pagers and walkie-talkies in Lebanon which killed dozens and injured around 2,800 people.

The attack – pinned on Israel – has brought an already volatile situation close to a boiling point after the October 7 attacks in Israel by Hamas and the ensuing killing of Palestinians have divided the region further.

A day after an Israeli airstrike killed at least 274 people in Beirut following Hezbollah rockets, British nationals were told to leave the country.

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An estimated 10,000 British nationals are reportedly in Lebanon – but flights out of the country are limited.

Lebanon’s land border with Israel has been historically closed, opening only twice during its existence.

The Lebanese land border with Syria remains open, but the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel there.

The geo-political situation sparked the UK government to send around 700 troops to nearby Cyprus in case an emergency evacuation of Lebanon is needed.

RAF planes and transport helicopters are also on standby on the Mediterranean island where the UK maintains the Akrotiri military base.



Flights to and from Beirut

MEA Middle East Airlines

The main – and only – carrier operating between Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport and London Heathrow is MEA Middle East Airlines.

Its flights to London yesterday and today appeared to depart as scheduled from the Lebanese airport, according to Flightradar24.

Another flight tomorrow at 8.10am local time – the ME201 flight – is listed as ‘scheduled.’

However, MEA flights to London Heathrow are sold for next week.

We approached the airline for a comment.

Turkish Airlines

The airline is usually popular among British travellers who can fly to and from Beirut via Istanbul.

However, Turkish Airlines has temporarily cancelled flights on safety ground.

Eurowings

The German carrier has suspended its flights to Beirut until October 26.

It said the Lufthansa Group ‘continues to monitor the situation closely and will further assess the situation in the coming days.’

Lufthansa

All Lufthansa’s flights to Beirut remain suspended until October 26.

The Beirut International Airport remains open for business – but many major airlines have decided to suspend operations (Picture: Joseph Eid/AFP via Getty)

EgyptAir

All departing flights from Beirut to Cairo by the Egyptian carrier appeared as cancelled on Flightradar24 yesterday and today.

One morning flight tomorrow has been listed as ‘estimated departure,’ while another two tomorrow are ‘scheduled,’ Flightradar24 shows.

Qatar Airways

The airline has temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut International Airport until September 30, a spokesperson said.

LOT Polish Airlines

The carrier – which doesn’t operate any flights between the UK and Lebanon – has cancelled all flights from Warsaw to Beirut due to the ‘conflict in the Middle East.’

Cyprus Airways

The airline has cancelled flights from Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus to Beirut yesterday and today, while the flight tomorrow currently appears as ‘scheduled.’

Scandinavian Airlines SAS

A spokesperson said the airline has stopped flights to Beirut ‘a while ago.’

‘We are monitoring the situation and as always will consider resuming when the situation permits,’ they added.

Other airlines

Air Arabia, Air France, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Flydubai, Pegasus and Royal Jordanian which usually fly to and from Beirut have cancelled flights temporarily due to safety.

Is it safe to travel to Lebanon?

Israeli airstrikes have forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, Reuters reports.

Monday was reportedly the deadliest day in a decade when 492 people were killed, Lebanese authorities said.

Rescuers rush to the scene of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Abbasiyeh yesterday (Picture: Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty)

At least 51 people have been killed and 233 wounded in another Israeli air strike, according to Lebanon’s health minister Dr Firass Abiad.

The Foreign Office continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon.

In a warning updated on September 20 and listed as ‘still current’ as of today, it said: ‘FCDO continues to advise against all travel to Lebanon. If you are currently in Lebanon, we encourage you to leave, while commercial options remain available.’

Britons seeking help from the UK embassy could run into problems as consular support is ‘severely limited’ in places where the Foreign Office advises against travel.

Is it safe to travel to Israel? List of airlines cancelling flights to Tel Aviv

The airlines flying between Tel Aviv and UK are British Airways, El Al, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air UK and ZYB Lily Jet, according to Flightradar24.

The FCDO advises against all travel to several areas within Israel. This includes the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel such as Gaza, West Bank and Northern Israel.

Its region bordering both Lebanon and Syria and part of the Golan Heights are listed as a red do-not-travel-zone.

British Airways said the airline has cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including Thursday, September 26, after ‘continually monitoring the situation in the Middle East.’

‘Safety is always our top priority, and we’re contacting customers to advise them of their travel options,’ a BA spokesperson told Metro.co.uk.

Eurowings has cancelled its Tel Aviv flights until October 14.

Virgin Atlantic said it has decided to delay the restart of its Tel Aviv flights until at least Tuesday, October 1 due to ‘temporary Israeli airspace restrictions alongside our own security and safety assessment.’

It said affected customers can reebok at a later date, get a refund or use flights with the Israeli airline EL Al which has multiple daily flights between Heathrow and Ben Gurion Airport.

Is it safe to travel to Cyprus?

There are no active warnings in place advising against travel into the country – which is divided into Greek and Turkish Cyprus.

The Larnaca International Airport operates dozens of flights each day.

It has daily flights to and from London Gatwick, Heathrow Airport, Stansted, Bristol, Luton, Manchester Airport and Glasgow operated by Wizz Air, British Airways, TUI, EasyJet and Jet2.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.


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