The Rafic Hariri International Airport (RHIA) activity improved during the fifth month of this year, as the total number of passengers increased by a yearly 11.3% to 2.80M. In details, the number of arrivals to Lebanon went up by 10.23% year-on-year (Y-o-Y) from 1.23M by May 2015 to 1.36M in the same period of 2016. Also, this period witnessed an 11.96% yearly increase in departures, which reached 1.44M by May 2016, compared to 1.28M by May 2015.
As for the number of transit passengers, it grew from 4,700 passengers by the fifth month of 2015 to 11,109 passengers by May 2016. The high transit activity can be the result of the RHIA becoming an alternative or pit-stop-route for many Arab nationals fleeing tumults in their home countries.
Total Number of Passengers by May
Source: Rafic Hariri International Airport