Civil aviation in Lebanon is supervised by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under the Ministry of Public Works and Transport authority. The DGCA issues air‑operator certificates, allocates traffic rights, and enforces safety directives aligned with ICAO Annexes. National Law 481 (2002) and its subsequent decrees give this regulator power to inspect aircraft, sanction carriers, and suspend licences. Beirut’s only international airport applies its own security programme, which operators must refresh every three years. An Aviation Law Firm Beirut Lebanon interprets these scattered instruments, drafts compliance matrices, and secures waivers when technical bulletins conflict with local infrastructure limits, for instance, Category II approach requirements during extended runway maintenance.

Aircraft Registration, Leasing, and Finance

The Lebanese Aircraft Register in Beirut logs ownership, mortgages, and priority interests. Registration accepts only airframes meeting EASA or FAA certification, with a full chain‑of‑title back to the manufacturer. Lawyers prepare bills of sale, deregistration export request authorisations (DERAs), and Cape Town International Registry filings to shield financiers from lessee default.

Cross‑border leasing is frequent: foreign‑owned special‑purpose vehicles place aircraft with Lebanese carriers for renewable six‑year terms. Counsel structures hell‑or‑high‑water clauses, export‑control warranties, and rent‑payment netting that bypass capital‑control hurdles introduced after 2019.

Operational Risk, Liability, and Insurance

Strict liability under the Montreal Convention caps carrier exposure but obliges prompt advance payments to injured passengers. Lebanese courts have awarded supplemental moral damages when carriers delay baggage or overbook flights, so policy wording must match domestic tort standards. Aviation insurers now insist on war‑risk endorsements that cover GPS jamming and drone interference, both recorded near Beirut FIR. Product liability also touches local maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) stations.

Airport Concessions, Slot Allocation, and Ground Handling

Ground‑handling licences at the international airport are subject to five‑year concessions. Applicants must demonstrate ISO 9001 procedures, minimum capital, and union‑approved work rules. Slot allocation remains manually coordinated by the airport committee, yet IATA Worldwide Slot Guidelines influence scheduling prioritisation. Legal teams prepare concession bids, negotiate SPAs for ground‑service equipment, and secure labour‑union endorsements to prevent industrial action. Environmental rules now demand noise‑footprint disclosure for new flight schedules, aligned with EU Stage 5 standards.

Final Words

Lebanon’s aviation sector advances through technical innovation and regulatory refinement, yet the operating environment remains procedurally dense and financially intricate. Engaging an Aviation Law Firm Beirut Lebanon equips operators, financiers, and service providers with contract certainty, regulatory foresight, and robust enforcement strategies—crucial ingredients for safe, profitable flight in the eastern Mediterranean corridor.