The national carrier of Lebanon, Middle East Airlines, is exercising prudence in light of rising regional tensions as five of its 24 aircraft are being stored overnight at Istanbul Airport.
This action is reminiscent of what the airline did when Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport was targeted during Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon in 2006.
Daily operations won’t be impacted by the choice to park aircraft in Istanbul, and all flights are proceeding as planned.
According to reports, the business has an “emergency plan” that it will use if required. Fearing a bombing at Beirut International Airport, the airline sent four Airbus A4neo and one Airbus A321 to Turkey.
The prospective military action by Israel against the violent Hezbollah organization in Lebanon, which supports Iran, is what has sparked the current tensions.
The Israeli army reportedly shelled communities in Lebanon’s south on Tuesday, according to the official news agency of the country.
Following a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant organization on October 7, airlines have reduced flights to Israel amid an intensifying war between Israel and Hamas.
Along with Ethiopian Airlines Group, Dubai’s Emirates, and FlyDubai, the Israeli flag carrier El Al is one of the few airlines that still fly to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport.
Due to the unstable circumstances in the area, Middle East Airlines is taking these precautionary measures. These precautions are meant to protect the crew and passengers, whose safety is of the utmost importance.