Lebanese citizens wondered whether today, Friday, Aug. 16, 2013, would witness the unofficial opening of Lebanon's first regional airport. Or would the opening be disrupted since its motivations go beyond transport needs, and conceal political, security and military considerations, as some say? Indeed, as some suspected, it has been postponed at the last minute.

All eyes were on Beirut International Airport today while they waited for an answer. The Lebanese also turned their attention to the northern part of the Akkar region, near the Lebanese border with Syria, at the site of the local and military Qlaiaat airport, home to old runways and other facilities. The airport is officially called Rene Mouawad Airport after the late Lebanese president, who was elected at one of the airport’s lounges on Nov. 5, 1989, and was assassinated in Beirut 17 days later.

A group of political activists have announced the first commercial civilian flight between the two airports, one being the only official airport in the heart of Beirut, and the other having only been used for a few rare flights of small military and civilian aircrafts, especially between 1989 and 1990, during the Lebanese civil war.

The organizers of the flight, who held a press conference two days ago to make the announcement, said that their move is related to the kidnapping of the two Turkish pilots on the road to Beirut airport on Aug. 9. They said that Beirut airport has become unsafe, which is why they were prompted to organize this flight, as an attempt to impose the opening of a second Lebanese airport.