Connecting Lebanon to the world: MEA turns 80 with profits, new planes, and a low-cost plan

Report by Lea Fayad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi 

Middle East Airlines, Lebanon's national carrier, is celebrating its 80th anniversary—a milestone that underscores decades of resilience through wars, political upheavals, and economic crises.

Despite facing challenges from the civil war, Israeli attacks that damaged its aircraft, and ongoing financial and political instability, MEA has remained in operation, continuing to connect Lebanon to the world.

Today, the company employs around 5,000 people and operates a modern fleet of 23 aircraft flying to more than 33 destinations, maintaining international safety standards.

According to Chairman Mohamad El-Hout, who has led the airline since 1998, Beirut's airport has long served as a vital regional hub, particularly during times when neighboring Syria's airspace was restricted.

MEA plans to receive six new aircraft next year and, in response to public criticism over high ticket prices, will soon launch a low-cost flight under the name "Fly Beirut."

With annual profits exceeding $100 million, the airline stands as one of Lebanon's few economic success stories, and for many Lebanese, each MEA flight has come to symbolize hope, connecting the country's diaspora with their homeland and the rest of the world.