An MEA plane. (Credit: Roy Issa/AFP)
Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) announced in a statement on Friday that it changed the schedules of several flights to and from Beirut for Friday and Saturday, as the security situation, already fragile since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, has worsened.
For Friday, 11 out of 36 flights are modified:
• Flight ME302, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 10:45 a.m. on Friday morning to reach Cairo, saw its departure postponed to 12:15 p.m.
• Flight ME303, which was initially scheduled to leave Cairo at 1:05 p.m. for Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 2:35 p.m.
• Flight ME306, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 6:15 p.m. this Friday evening to reach Cairo, saw its departure postponed to 8:15 p.m.
• Flight ME307, which was initially scheduled to leave Cairo at 8:35 p.m. for Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 10:35 p.m.
• Flight ME322, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 3:50 p.m. to reach Baghdad, saw its departure postponed to 5:50 p.m.
• Flight ME323, which was initially scheduled to leave Baghdad at 6:20 p.m. to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 8:20 p.m.
• Flight ME431, which was initially scheduled to leave Dubai at 02:15 to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Saturday, Aug. 3 at 06:10.
• Flight ME225, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 6:20 p.m. for Copenhagen, saw its departure postponed to 8:20 p.m.
• Flight ME226, which was initially scheduled to leave Copenhagen at 10:30 p.m. to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Saturday, August 3 at 3:30 a.m.
• Flight ME369, which was initially scheduled to leave Jeddah at 9:15 p.m. to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Saturday, August 3 at 5:35 a.m.
• Flight ME204, which was initially scheduled to leave London at 22:00 for Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Saturday 3 August at 08:25.
For Saturday, 14 out of 38 flights are modified:
• Flight ME255, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 10:45 a.m. to reach Athens, saw its departure postponed to 3:15 p.m.
• Flight ME256, which was initially scheduled to leave Athens at 1:40 p.m. to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 6:10 p.m.
• Flight ME223, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 3:25 p.m. to reach Nice, saw its departure postponed to 4:25 p.m.
• Flight ME224, which was initially scheduled to leave Nice at 7:25 p.m. to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 8:25 p.m.
• Flight ME204, which was initially scheduled to leave London at 22:00 for Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 09:55.
• Flight ME437, which was initially scheduled to leave Doha at 7:00 p.m. to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 5:00 a.m.
• Flight ME431, which was initially scheduled to leave Dubai at 02:15 to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 06:10.
• Flight ME443, which was initially scheduled to leave Dammam at 8:55 p.m. to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 5:55 a.m.
• Flight ME435, which was initially scheduled to leave Doha at 02:50 to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 05:00.
• Flight ME403, which was initially scheduled to leave Kuwait City at 9:15 p.m. to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 6:10 a.m.
• Flight ME225, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 7:20 a.m. to reach Copenhagen, saw its departure postponed to 9:20 a.m.
• Flight ME226, which was initially scheduled to leave Copenhagen at 11:25 a.m. to reach Beirut, saw its departure postponed to 1:25 p.m.
• Flight ME368, which was initially scheduled to leave Beirut at 6:15 p.m. to reach Jeddah, saw its departure postponed to 8:15 p.m.
• Flight ME369, which was initially scheduled to leave Jeddah at 9:15 p.m. to reach Beirut, has seen its departure postponed to Sunday, Aug. 4 at 5:35 a.m.
While MEA canceled and modified some flights since last Saturday, other airlines have been much more cautious, suspending their services to Beirut.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.