MEA’s new wings

Middle East Airlines (MEA) has finalized an agreement to purchase 10 new planes worth $1 billion from Airbus. The national carrier is purchasing five A321neo and five A320neo aircraft, which are slated to enter service in 2015 and will primarily phase out older planes in the fleet, which currently include four A330-200s, four A321s and 10 A320s. The new aircraft are more efficient than their predecessors and the company says they will save them up to 15 percent on fuel costs annually, or around 1.4 million liters of fuel. With more than 1,600 firm orders since its launch in 2010, the A320neo family has proven to be the fastest-ever selling commercial aircraft program. Although MEA is a private entity, it is 99 percent owned by Banque du Liban, Lebanon’s central bank. In September 2012 its exclusive rights as the only domestic commercial passenger carrier were extended for another 12 years.