Company Insights Middle East Airlines Aviation Middle East Airlines Overview Lebanon’s national airline Middle East Airlines (MEA) was founded in 1945 and its first flights were from Beirut to Syria, Cyprus and Egypt. It now operates scheduled international flights to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa from its base at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport. Despite closure of Beirut International Airport during Lebanon’s civil war between 1975 and 1990, Middle East Airlines survived by leasing aircrafts and seconding staff to international airline companies. In 1990 it reinstated service to all its previous destinations and improved its network to Europe, Middle East and the Gulf. Middle East Airlines restructured between 1998 to 2002, turning around the company from annual losses of $87 million dollars in 1997 to a net profit of $22 million dollars in 2003. In 2012 it became a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance and in 2017 it inaugurated a training and conference centre. Subsidiaries include Cedar Executive, Lebanese Beirut Airport Catering Company, Middle East Airlines Ground Handling, Middle East Airports Services and Mideast Aircraft Services Company. Majority-owned by the Banque du Liban, Middle East Airlines has continued to operate commercial flights despite recent conflict in the region. Middle East Airlines News Analysis Aviation Middle East airlines expected to ride out delivery delays Aircraft delivery delays will continue to dog Middle East airlines in 2025, according to the International Air Travel Association (Iata). The issue will have little bearing on the bottom line, however, and the industry is expected to continue growing regardless. Globally, Iata forecasts that 1,802 aircraft will be delivered over the next 12 months, down […] December 24, 2024 Aviation Middle East airlines earn highest profit per passenger, says Iata Airlines across the Middle East generated the most profit per passenger carried this year, according to the International Air Travel Association. The region’s carriers made $23.10 profit per passenger in 2024, Iata said. This is more than double the figure for the second-placed market, North America. Iata expects the Middle East’s figure to rise to […] December 11, 2024 Aviation Middle East airlines report lowest demand rise Middle Eastern carriers reported a 2.2 percent year-on-year increase in passenger demand in October, the lowest across all regions, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata). Capacity increased 2.5 percent, while the load factor fell marginally lower at 80.2 percent year on year, Iata reported. Asia-Pacific airlines reported the highest year-on-year increase in demand […] December 6, 2024 Opinion Tourism Wars have skewed effects on Middle East tourism The most immediate impact on tourism has been caused by a reduction or elimination of flight connections November 14, 2024 Transport Private jets and yachts take passengers fleeing Lebanon People trying to flee the escalating conflict in Lebanon are turning to expensive private bus, yacht and jet operators as an increased number of airlines cancel flights. “If Beirut’s airport is closed due to the ongoing conflict, don’t worry,” reads one of the many such adverts that have inundated Lebanese social media. “Our luxury yachts […] October 14, 2024 Aviation Airlines suspend flights to Middle East Airlines in the Middle East have cancelled some flights and rerouted others after Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. Shares in some European airlines and travel companies fell on Wednesday by up to 2.7 percent after Israel’s neighbours closed airspace and airline crews skirted the conflict zone. Many airlines have suspended operations […] October 2, 2024 Opinion Aviation To churn or not to churn: why airlines drop routes The disappearance of 459 routes shows the challenges faced by Middle East airlines August 20, 2024 Transport Middle East airlines report rise in passenger demand Airlines in the Middle East reported a 9.6 percent year-on-year increase in passenger demand in June 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association. Capacity at regional carriers rose 9.4 percent year on year, while the load factor rose marginally to nearly 80 percent. International demand as a whole rose 12.3 percent and average load factor […] August 1, 2024 Opinion Aviation Flynas saves the best for last at Farnborough Airshow This year the headline-grabbing deals arrived later than expected July 26, 2024 Analysis Aviation Middle East airlines in race to recruit as pilot shortage bites A shortage of pilots is threatening the ambitions of the Middle East’s growing aviation industry, analysts have warned, forcing airlines to bolster their recruitment efforts. The global industry will be short nearly 80,000 pilots by 2032, according to management consultancy Oliver Wyman. The Middle East is projected to account for up to 18,000 of that […] July 4, 2024 Posts navigation 1 2 3 Next
Analysis Aviation Middle East airlines expected to ride out delivery delays Aircraft delivery delays will continue to dog Middle East airlines in 2025, according to the International Air Travel Association (Iata). The issue will have little bearing on the bottom line, however, and the industry is expected to continue growing regardless. Globally, Iata forecasts that 1,802 aircraft will be delivered over the next 12 months, down […] December 24, 2024
Aviation Middle East airlines earn highest profit per passenger, says Iata Airlines across the Middle East generated the most profit per passenger carried this year, according to the International Air Travel Association. The region’s carriers made $23.10 profit per passenger in 2024, Iata said. This is more than double the figure for the second-placed market, North America. Iata expects the Middle East’s figure to rise to […] December 11, 2024
Aviation Middle East airlines report lowest demand rise Middle Eastern carriers reported a 2.2 percent year-on-year increase in passenger demand in October, the lowest across all regions, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata). Capacity increased 2.5 percent, while the load factor fell marginally lower at 80.2 percent year on year, Iata reported. Asia-Pacific airlines reported the highest year-on-year increase in demand […] December 6, 2024
Opinion Tourism Wars have skewed effects on Middle East tourism The most immediate impact on tourism has been caused by a reduction or elimination of flight connections November 14, 2024
Transport Private jets and yachts take passengers fleeing Lebanon People trying to flee the escalating conflict in Lebanon are turning to expensive private bus, yacht and jet operators as an increased number of airlines cancel flights. “If Beirut’s airport is closed due to the ongoing conflict, don’t worry,” reads one of the many such adverts that have inundated Lebanese social media. “Our luxury yachts […] October 14, 2024
Aviation Airlines suspend flights to Middle East Airlines in the Middle East have cancelled some flights and rerouted others after Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel. Shares in some European airlines and travel companies fell on Wednesday by up to 2.7 percent after Israel’s neighbours closed airspace and airline crews skirted the conflict zone. Many airlines have suspended operations […] October 2, 2024
Opinion Aviation To churn or not to churn: why airlines drop routes The disappearance of 459 routes shows the challenges faced by Middle East airlines August 20, 2024
Transport Middle East airlines report rise in passenger demand Airlines in the Middle East reported a 9.6 percent year-on-year increase in passenger demand in June 2024, according to the International Air Transport Association. Capacity at regional carriers rose 9.4 percent year on year, while the load factor rose marginally to nearly 80 percent. International demand as a whole rose 12.3 percent and average load factor […] August 1, 2024
Opinion Aviation Flynas saves the best for last at Farnborough Airshow This year the headline-grabbing deals arrived later than expected July 26, 2024
Analysis Aviation Middle East airlines in race to recruit as pilot shortage bites A shortage of pilots is threatening the ambitions of the Middle East’s growing aviation industry, analysts have warned, forcing airlines to bolster their recruitment efforts. The global industry will be short nearly 80,000 pilots by 2032, according to management consultancy Oliver Wyman. The Middle East is projected to account for up to 18,000 of that […] July 4, 2024
