With the launch of the World Cup matches in Qatar, Middle East Airlines has benefited in expanding its destinations through being a member of the association of airlines in the world known as the Sky Team, which includes 18 other airlines.
For all foreign companies that did not have Qatar as a destination, a new path had been opened for them to Doha, passing through Lebanon.
For example, Air Mexico, which had no direct lines to Qatar, used to carry passengers to Europe, where it stopped in Paris or Madrid. From there, an MEA plane moved passengers to Beirut and from there to Doha.
The success of MEA in using its lines during the World Cup in an effective way will be built upon in the coming period.
MEA is currently working on three basic steps to expand its aviation network:
First, marketing to sell the services of the lines that were approved during the FIFA World Cup, which connect the countries of the world, specifically Latin and South America, and Europe to the countries of the East and the Gulf, via Lebanon. This is related to developing the relationship of MEA with its partners.
As for the company itself, it is working on developing a new network and routes for some of its flights, which connect African countries with the countries of the East and the Gulf, passing through Lebanon.
For example:
Lagos - Lebanon - Dubai
Abidjan - Lebanon - Jeddah
Accra, Ghana - Lebanon - Doha
MEA will also plan trips known as point-to-point from any country in the world to Lebanon, to attract a significant number of tourists, not just expatriates, by organizing trips for representatives of travel agencies and influencers in 25 countries around the world to market tourism in Lebanon, especially from countries from which travel to Lebanon is not active, such as Spain.
All of the above indicates that with simple initiatives, entire sectors can be developed, and the national airline is the best proof of that.