Fadi al-Hassan, director general of Lebanon’s Civil Aviation Authority, has announced that the authority has banned TUS Airways (U8, Larnaca) from its airspace because of its part-ownership by an Israeli company.

Controlled by Israeli businesswoman Tami Mozes-Borovitz, Global Knafaim Leasing parent company Knafaim Holdings owns 49.9% of the shares of the Cypriot carrier under a deal that was completed in September 2021. US businessman Kenneth Woolley holds the remaining 50.1%.

Al-Hassan said he had notified Lebanon’s Ministry Of Economy and Trade indicating that “a letter was received from the Cypriot Civil Aviation Authority allowing TUS Air to invest in air transport services” between Cyprus and Lebanon based on an air transport agreement between the two countries.

His statement on the authority’s website, dated May 5, pointed to the Israeli company’s 49.9% shareholding and said that as a consequence TUS Airways “is prohibited from flying in Lebanese airspace and from landing at Rafic Hariri International Airport Beirut until further notice, pending recommendations issued by the next Conference of the Liaison Officers of [Arab] Regional Offices on the Boycott of Israel to consider dealing with the aforementioned company.”

He added that “all units in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation must not deal with the company TUS Air until further notice.” Al-Hassan also asked the ministry to verify the status of the company, especially since the ministry had issued a request not to deal with such companies.

TUS Airways and the Cypriot Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment from ch-aviation. However, a spokeswoman for the country’s Department of Civil Aviation responded: “We are currently looking into the matter and have not yet received any official communication from the Aeronautical Authorities of Lebanon regarding the prohibition of TUS from operating in its airspace.”

TUS Airways currently operates a fleet of five dry-leased A320-200s, which it operates on routes from Larnaca to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, Irakleion, and Paris CDG, and also between Paphos and Tel Aviv. It listed Beirut among its intended destinations in May 2021, following its re-certification and re-licencing process in Cyprus.

According to ch-aviation analysis of schedule data, routes it has scheduled for the summer 2023 season, starting in June and July, will link Larnaca with Amman Queen Alia, Bratislava, Chania, Kefallinia, Kerkyra, Kosice, and Preveza/Lefkas.