Operating in a War Zone, a Lebanese Airline Tries to Keep Flying
Middle East Airlines planes on the tarmac of Beirut International Airport.
Photographer: Anwar Amro/AFP/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Lebanon’s national carrier is no stranger to operating in a conflict zone. Back in 2006, an Israeli air strike destroyed the runways of Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport, severely curtailing the carrier’s operations.
Since October’s attack by Hamas on Israel and the widening conflict that’s followed, Middle East Airlines has seen its business shrink dramatically, and the airline has been forced to move a large portion of its aircraft out of the country to prevent any damage to its most valuable physical assets.