MEA From Australia, joined Jan 2001, 631 posts, RR: 0 Posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1558 times:
Middle East Airlines (MEA) of the Lebanon has placed an order with Airbus for six A321s, becoming a new customer for the type. The order confirms an announcement by the airline earlier this year, when it said that it would acquire A321s as part of a fleet modernisation that is the last part of its re-structuring plan.
MEA will take delivery of five A321s between January and May 2003, and a sixth in early 2004. The aircraft will be powered by International Aero Engines V2533s, which feature quietness that meets tough new Stage 4 noise standards.
MEA’s A321s feature luxurious seating for 31 passengers in business class and 118 in economy, with personal TVs for everyone.
MEA already flies an all-Airbus fleet comprising A320s and A321s, as well as A300s and A310s, on non-stop routes to Europe - as well as within the Middle East and to Africa.
The newly ordered A321s replace leased A320s, A321s and A310s in the MEA fleet. They will be complemented by three leased A330-200s, all of which will be delivered in the second quarter of 2003, which will replace leased A300s and A310s.
The best-selling Airbus A320 family is in widespread service around the world with some 120 customers and operators, including several airlines within the Middle East. It is the consistent winner in independent surveys of airline and passenger surveys.
Passengers love the A320 family’s more spacious cabin and greater comfort, which includes wider seats in economy, while its modern design and attractive economics make it a firm favourite with airlines and financiers.
Firm orders for the A320 family now approach 3,000 aircraft, of which 1,800 have already been delivered.
A leading aircraft manufacturer with the most modern and comprehensive product line on the market, Airbus is a global company with design and manufacturing facilities in France, Germany, the UK, and Spain as well as subsidiaries in the U.S., China and Japan. Headquartered in Toulouse, France, Airbus is an EADS joint Company with BAE SYSTEMS.
Arsenal@LHR From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 7791 posts, RR: 23 Reply 1, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 1513 times:
PTV's in A321's? Now that's not something you see all the time, i guess the A321's will be deployed on longer routes to Europe, as to the reason why there's PTV's for all?
EurostarVA From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, RR: 9 Reply 2, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 1482 times:
PTV's for all is a good marketing strategy to entertain passengers on MEA's routes which are primarily in the 2h 30 min - 5 h range. If they downsize from A310 to A321 on some routes it means they must keep the passengers entertained Personally, I wouln't fly MEA on a 4 h A321 flight if there is no form of infllight entertainment system. Way to go MEA !!
MEA From Australia, joined Jan 2001, 631 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1404 times:
EurostarVA,
Would you fly any other airline for 4 hours if they didn't have PTV's?
I've heard that MEA offers excellent inflight service & they're A321s will have 149 pax as opposed to approx. 187 which is the standard among most European airlines.
EurostarVA From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1384 times:
MEA,
If I have a choice between flying onboard a new MEA A321 and a standard Gulf Air A320, I would pick MEA (assuming Gulf Air does not provide personal TV's).
MEA From Australia, joined Jan 2001, 631 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1373 times:
So you would still choose Gulf Air's "cramped" A320's with about 130 seats if they had PTV's over MEA's A321's with only 149 seats, come on you can't be serious?
AvObserver From United States of America, joined Apr 2002, 2430 posts, RR: 10 Reply 6, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 12 hours ago) and read 1360 times:
MEA, have you made it your mission to advertise for Airbus? Quoting verbatum their own touting of their airplanes shows an undeniable bias on your part. Your credibility will be enhanced by not parroting the manufacturer's own hype. Speak of the merits of the aircraft in your own words, it will sound a lot less tacky. I don't make a habit of quoting Being press releases when I speak of their planes because it's a cheesy tactic. And I'm not anti-Airbus, at least not when it comes to the aircraft, themselves. This is not to offend you, just to show you that others will assume you're an Airbus stooge if you resort to posting their rhetoric. Just a little constructive criticism. Thank you.
AA717driver From United States of America, joined Feb 2002, 1566 posts, RR: 14 Reply 8, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 1323 times:
PTV's ON MEA?! Can a code share with JetBlue be far behind? TC
EurostarVA From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, RR: 9 Reply 10, posted (10 years 9 months 1 week 2 days 17 hours ago) and read 1265 times:
MEA,
I dont understand your posts? I said in my post that I would CHOOSE MEA
over Gulf Air because MEA offers PTV's and yes, good leg room. Maybe you got confused reading my reply?
Sponsor Message: 
From Australia, joined Jan 2001, 631 posts, 
From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2001, 7791 posts, 
From Bahrain, joined May 2002, 1296 posts, 
Personally, I wouln't fly MEA on a 4 h A321 flight if there is no form of infllight entertainment system. Way to go MEA !!
From United States of America, joined Apr 2002, 2430 posts, 
TC
From Lebanon, joined Feb 2002, 660 posts, 
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