MEA to join SkyTeam

Middle East Airlines (MEA), the national carrier of Lebanon, will sign an agreement on 28 February to officially start the process of joining SkyTeam in 2012.  First established in 1946 and using de Havilland Dragon Rapides, the airline has seen more ups and downs than most, headquartered in that most beleaguered of cities, Beirut.

MEA has continued to improve its products and services to customers ever since it successfully concluded a thorough restructuring plan, destined to modernize and restructure the airline.  Key elements of this plan include aircraft renewal and rationalization, increasing the density of its European, Middle East and West African network and improving product quality and consistency.  It currently operates an all Airbus fleet of 11 A320 series aircraft and four A330-200s.

SkyTeam has made significant progress in attracting new members.  In 2010 China Eastern (and its daughter company Shanghai Airlines), China Airlines, Garuda Indonesia and Aerolíneas Argentinas all confirmed their future membership.  Recently Saudi Arabian Airlines has become the first member from the Middle East to announce its joining plans.  Adding MEA as the second member from this region complements the network offer to SkyTeam customers and illustrates the continuing global expansion that SkyTeam accelerated last year. www.mea.com.lb

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