Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines, known as MEA, has a particular reach history and currently operates a modern fleet of jets throughout the area and to cities across Europe, the Middle East, with a few long-haul routes to West Africa. It is a word that describes good service and reliability.
I traveled to Lebanon twice in the past but never flew their flag carrier. After reading an article about MEA surviving through the civil war in Lebanon, my interest in MEA has grown greatly. I want to go to Lebanon again.
History Special: When Cedarjet Goes to War
The trip to Lebanon began from the airport. I decided to leave mid-week. The check-in process was easy. The Skyteam Lounge can be used by business class passengers.
There were only 2 Skyteam airlines leaving at 12pm, so the lounge was not crowded. The lounge was very crowded in the evening. A lot of food is available in the lounge.
People are going out for a summer escape because of the warm weather. The mid-week departure on MEA is mostly empty. The MEA flies at least 2 times a day. The A330-200 is the larger of the two departures.
The 10,000th A320 family was built in July 2020. The new A321neo is being operated by them.
It has business class seats and economy class seats. This is a lower density A321 with just 161 seats. Business class doesn't have flatbeds. The A321neo flights can take up to 4-5 hours.
The beverages are juice only. Wine and champagne can be purchased after the plane leaves the runway.
The leg room is better than most domestic First Class in the US.
It is difficult to get out of the recliner if you sit in the window.
We flew over the Persian Gulf towards Kuwait, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon after taking off on time.
MEA is one of a few airlines that are allowed to fly over Syria which saves about 30 minutes of flying time compared to other airlines.
After we reached the level of cruise, the in-flight service began. The menu was not printed.
There is a choice of grilled prawns or pineapple chicken. The grilled prawn is very good.
The main course was between beef kofte and fish. The beef kofte with rice was my choice.
MEA serves wine from Lebanon. The red wine was dry and strong.
Coffee and tea were offered after the meal. The meal took 1.5 hours to finish.
The meals in economy were checked out by me. The portion of food in the meal tray has been cut in half. There was a choice of food. I think they look great. The strength of MEA is food.
A large touch-screen PTV is found in the economy class. The recline is deep and the leg room is small.
We crossed the border from Syria into Lebanon. Passengers on the left side of the plane were greeted with a view of the coastline of Lebanon. I thought of Hong Kong when I saw it.
You can watch my video on the internet.
On my first flight of MEA, I thought it was positive.
The airline's strength is its food and service. The A321neo has good IFE and is also capable of using wi-fi. The recliner in Business Class felt a little old school and the cabin lacked branding.
The launch customer is MEA. Hopefully, it will have a better product.
The official exchange rate is 1USD.
The black market exchange rate is close to 20 times higher than the white market rate.
You will be charged by the official exchange rate if you use your credit card for purchases in Lebanon. There are a lot of exchanges on the street.
The black market exchange rate for a dinner of 8 people is about 120 US dollars. If you use a credit card, you'd be charged a huge amount of money.
Is Lebanon less expensive for tourists? Both yes and no. The charges are in US dollars. The entrance tickets to tourist attractions became very cheap because of the charge in LBP.
Food and fuel prices have gone up since the LBP was devaluing.
The author is Charles Kennedy, who was with me in Lebanon.
The three Bs are the seaside town of Byblos, the mountain palace of Beit Ehdein, and the ruins of the Roman empire. The big B is for shopping, dining, and museums. The ancient markets and alleys of Saida are worth a visit.
Is Lebanon a safe place to visit? I feel safe when I'm a tourist. There has been a crime wave caused by the financial crisis.
Lebanon's banking system is in tatters, the state can't even provide electricity, and the currency is almost worthless.
The nation of four million clever, cultured and entrepreneurial citizens still gets up every morning and has a great deal to offer. The current crisis may be an opportunity to create a new system that will deliver for its citizens and even give a template for other societies. It's definitely a country to watch and come back to again.
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