Middle East Airlines facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L.
طيران الشرق الأوسط ـ الخطوط الجوية اللبنانية

Founded	31 May 1945; 80 years ago (1945-05-31)
Commenced operations	1 January 1946; 79 years ago (1946-01-01)
AOC #	MEA-A001
Hubs	Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Cedar Miles
Alliance	SkyTeam
Subsidiaries	Cedar Executive Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC) (77.5%) Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG) Middle East Airports Services (MEAS) Mideast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO)
Fleet size	23 (21 commercial airliners + 2 private jets)
Destinations	33
Parent company	Banque du Liban
Headquarters	Beirut, Lebanon
Key people	Mohammad El Hout (chairman & director general)
Profit	US$ 88,800,000 (2023)
Employees	5000+ (MEA, MEAG, MEAS, LBACC, MASCO) (2023)

Middle East Airlines – Air Liban S.A.L. (often called Middle East Airlines or MEA) is the main airline of Lebanon. Its main office is in Beirut, close to Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. MEA flies to many international places in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. All its flights start from its main base at Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Middle East Airlines is part of the SkyTeam airline group. This means MEA works with other airlines to offer more flight options. MEA joined SkyTeam on June 28, 2012. It was the 17th airline to become a member.

History of Middle East Airlines

A Middle East Airlines Convair 990A at London Heathrow Airport in 1970

A Middle East Airlines Boeing 747-200 in 1984

Middle East Airlines was started on May 31, 1945. It began flying on January 1, 1946. The first flights were between Beirut and Nicosia. Soon after, MEA added flights to Iraq, Egypt, and Syria. The airline first used small planes like the de Havilland DH.89A Dragon Rapides. Later, it added larger planes like the Douglas DC-3s.

Over the years, MEA worked with other big airlines. These included BOAC and Pan American World Airways. In 1963, MEA joined with Air Liban. This created the full name: Middle East Airlines – Air Liban. The airline also took over Lebanese International Airways that same year.

The airline faced challenges during times of conflict. For example, in 1968, some of its planes were damaged at Beirut Airport. Despite these difficulties, MEA kept flying. It added new types of aircraft to its fleet. These included the Convair 990A and later the large Boeing 747-200B. The Boeing 747 flew routes to London, Paris, and New York.

Even during the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1991), MEA continued its services. It kept flying even when Beirut International Airport sometimes closed. In the 1990s and 2000s, MEA started using modern Airbus planes. These included the Airbus A310, A321, and A330. By 2010, the airline introduced self-check-in kiosks at Beirut Airport.

In 2012, Middle East Airlines officially joined the SkyTeam alliance. This made it a part of a global network of airlines. Today, the central bank of Lebanon, Banque du Liban, owns most of MEA.

Where Middle East Airlines Flies

Middle East Airlines flies to 32 different places. These destinations are in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

Airline Partnerships: Codeshare Agreements

MEA has special agreements with other airlines called codeshare agreements. This means you can book a flight with MEA, but actually fly on a plane operated by one of their partner airlines. This gives passengers more choices for destinations.

MEA also works with SNCF, the French railway company. This allows for combined plane and train travel.

Middle East Airlines Fleet

A Middle East Airlines - Air Liban A321neo in the current livery at London Heathrow Airport

A Middle East Airlines - Air Liban Airbus A330-200 taking off at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

A Middle East Airlines - Air Liban Airbus A320-200 in the SkyTeam livery landing at Geneva Airport

As of January 2025, MEA uses only Airbus planes for its main flights. This means their entire fleet is made by one company.

Past Aircraft Used by MEA

Over its history, Middle East Airlines has used many different types of planes.

New Planes for the Fleet

Middle East Airlines keeps updating its fleet with new aircraft. In 2013, they ordered ten new Airbus A320neo family planes. The first of these, an A321neo, arrived in July 2020. Another A321neo delivered in October 2020 was a special one. It was the 10,000th plane from the Airbus A320 family ever built!

MEA also ordered four Airbus A330-900s in 2018. In 2019, they were the first airline to order the A321XLR. These four new XLR planes are planned for longer flights to Africa and Asia.

MEA also has a special part of the company called Cedar Executive. This part uses private jets. Their first private jet, an Embraer Legacy 500, was delivered in January 2016.

Cedar Miles: MEA's Frequent-Flyer Program

In 2011, Middle East Airlines updated its frequent-flyer program. This program is called Cedar Miles. It has four levels: Blue Cedar, Silver Cedar, Golden Cedar, and President's Club. The higher levels offer more benefits.

For example, Silver Cedar, Golden Cedar, and President's Club members can use special lounges. These lounges are at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport and other MEA destinations. Golden Cedar and President's Club members also get extra benefits.

You can earn Cedar Miles when you fly with MEA. You can also earn them on flights with partner airlines like Air France, KLM, and Qatar Airways. You can even earn miles when staying at Rotana Hotels or renting cars from Hertz. You can use your earned miles to get free flights or other rewards.

MEA's Other Companies

MEA owns several other companies. These companies help MEA run smoothly and offer different services. They operate on their own.

• Cedar Executive

This company started in 2016. It offers private jet flights. Cedar Executive is based at Beirut Airport. It flies business trips across Europe and the Middle East. They use two Embraer Legacy 500 jets. Customers get a private lounge and a car service to their flight.

• Middle East Airlines Ground Handling (MEAG)

MEAG was founded in 1999. It handles most of the ground services at Beirut International Airport. This includes things like baggage handling and guiding planes. MEAG also runs a special service for private planes called Cedar Jet Center.

• Middle East Airports Services (MEAS)

MEAS started in 1998. This company is in charge of keeping Beirut International Airport running well. Their jobs include cleaning the airport buildings. They also make sure the runways are safe for planes.

• Mideast Aircraft Services Company (MASCO)

MASCO was founded in 1955. It is the only company at Beirut Airport that fixes and maintains aircraft. MASCO can perform major checks on Airbus planes. They can also paint aircraft.

MEA also owns most of the Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company (LBACC). This company provides all the food and drinks for flights at Beirut International Airport.

Aircraft Incidents and Safety

An MEA aircraft was destroyed during a confrontation between the Israelis and the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1982

Like many airlines, Middle East Airlines has had some incidents over its long history. Safety is always the top priority for airlines.

• On July 24, 1950, an Air Liban Douglas DC-3 was shot at. It landed safely, but three passengers were sadly killed.
• On January 6, 1952, an Air Liban SNCASE Languedoc crashed during takeoff from Beirut Airport. The plane was destroyed by fire. Luckily, all nine people on board survived.
• On September 29, 1958, a Middle East Airlines Avro York disappeared over the Mediterranean Sea. Five people were on board.
• On February 1, 1963, Flight 265, a Vickers Viscount, crashed in Ankara after hitting another plane in the air. All 14 people on the Viscount died, along with others.
• On April 17, 1964, Flight 444, a Sud Caravelle III, crashed into the sea near Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. All 49 people on board died. The reason for this accident was not found.
• On April 21, 1964, a Middle East Airlines Vickers Viscount was badly damaged at El Arish International Airport. The taxiway it was on collapsed.
• On December 28, 1968, several MEA aircraft were destroyed at Beirut International Airport during an attack.
• On January 1, 1976, Flight 438, a Boeing 720B, broke apart in the air. This happened after a bomb exploded. All 81 people on board were killed. The plane crashed near Al Qaysumah, Saudi Arabia.
• In 1982, during conflicts, several Middle East Airlines planes were destroyed at Beirut Airport. This included Boeing 720s and a Boeing 707.
• On August 21, 1985, two MEA Boeing 720s were destroyed by shelling at Beirut International Airport.
• On January 8, 1987, a Boeing 707-323C was destroyed by shelling after landing at Beirut International Airport.
• On November 16, 2001, an Airbus A321-200 had a tail strike accident when landing in Cairo. The plane was damaged. This same plane was later destroyed by a bomb in 2015 as Metrojet Flight 9268.

See also

In Spanish: Middle East Airlines para niños

• Lebanese identity card
• List of airports in Lebanon
• Lebanese passport
• SkyTeam
• Transport in Lebanon
• Visa policy of Lebanon
• Visa requirements for Lebanese citizens