MEA - Middle East Airlines (ME, Beirut) now expects to take the first of its five planned A321-200NY(XLR)s in 2026, chief executive Mohamad El-Hout has told Arabian Aerospace. The Lebanese flag carrier originally planned to take the aircraft in 2023-2024.
MEA currently has four A321neo(XLR)s on firm order from Airbus. El-Hout said that in total it planned to take five of the type. It also has one A321-200NX remaining on order from the manufacturer. MEA did not respond as to whether the non-XLR order had been converted into an XLR to increase the commitment to five.
The airline also has a firm order for four A330-900s, which are currently scheduled for delivery in 2026-2028.
MEA's current fleet comprises nine A320-200s, ten A321-200NX, and four A330-200s. The airline plans to keep its current-generation aircraft operating as long as necessary to compensate for the A321neo and A330neo delays.
El-Hout revealed that insurers' pressure related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza and the frequent Israeli strikes on Lebanon had relented, allowing MEA to restore its network out of Beirut with some schedule adjustments, mostly related to overnighting aircraft outside of Lebanon. Currently, all but one A321-200NX and one A330 are active.
