Lebanon launches safety audit of Middle East Airlines amid pilot groups’ complaints
Lebanon’s aviation regulator has launched a safety audit of Middle East Airlines (MEA) as pilot groups raised concerns that crews were being asked to fly close to airstrikes and penalized for reporting safety incidents, according to letters seen by Reuters.
The audit puts scrutiny on the Beirut-based flag carrier, which has kept the country connected through war and financial collapse even as many foreign airlines have avoided large parts of Middle East airspace because of missile and drone risks since the US-Israeli war against Iran began in February.
MEA, which has a fleet of around 20 planes operating in the Middle East, Europe and West Africa, has been praised at home for continuing to fly during regional conflict and helping to prop up a weak economy that is more dependent than ever on tourism and remittances from expatriates.
The airline said it has a strong and proven safety record, and that any flights during military hostilities were conducted based on risk assessments developed alongside Lebanon’s government and aviation regulator, the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority (LCAA).
