Lebanon's only airport soldiers on despite Israel raining down bombs

Images showing fireballs and plumes of smoke erupting across Beirut while civilian aircraft fly nearby have become daily fare as Israel pummels areas right next to Lebanon's only airport. For many people in the country, staff with flag carrier Middle East Airlines are national heroes as they persevere despite Israel raining down bombs on the capital. Some Lebanese are incredulous that the airport is still able to operate. “Despite the war, we continue our work. Of course, we hear the bombs and see the smoke – it’s terrifying,” one air-traffic controller, who requested anonymity, told The National. “People working at the airport are risking their lives every day to keep the airport running so Lebanese people can still travel.” However, according to a senior safety adviser at the airline, it is business as usual. “I wouldn't call us heroes but I think we are doing a great job,” said Mohammed Aziz, who served as a pilot with MEA for decades. He is now an adviser to the chairman of the airline and an expert on aviation safety and security. “We don't want heroes, we want people who calculate the risk and take it. Heroes are something not for the commercial side of aviation. We leave the heroes for the army and other people,” he told The National. When Israel and Hezbollah last fought an all-out war in 2006, one of the first things the Israelis did was bomb the airport in Beirut. For now, Beirut-Rafic Hairi International is open and there is constant dialogue between the Israelis and Lebanese aviation authorities. With the main road to Syria regularly bombed and chartering private boats to Cyprus and Turkey expensive, flying remains the most straightforward way to leave the country for those fleeing. The airport is also a crucial staging post for the arrival of international aid.<br/>