According to Wikipedia, MEA will start direct BEY-MAD on April 2018. Does anyone knows anything further about this planned new route?

YEs, they announced it a few weeks ago. You can find it somewhere on their FB page.

I have often thought that MAD was an obvious hole in the MEA European network. I suppose A320 operates. Is it daily?

I suppose they will codeshare with Iberia or Air Europa.

There are large Lebanese communities in the Americas. Also if Iberia ever starts YUL or YYZ (as it has been announced), this flight could be a good feeder for connections.

Good news for MEA, especially in light of the conitnuous stagnation in obtaining direct flight authorization to serve Canada.

olba wrote:

YEs, they announced it a few weeks ago. You can find it somewhere on their FB page.

Can you send me the link please?
Thanks!

Did Iberia ever fly or unsuccessfully launch Beirut?

Otherwise, Vueling seems to be doing good on it's flights between Barcelona and Beirut. I think it is year round now.

IB flew to CAI and AMM for many years, but never BEY.
ME BEY MAD would do very well during the summer and holidays based on O&D as Spain is obviously a very popular destination though I think that BCN as a city has the edge.
Problem is ME's main partner is AF. They would need flights timed to intercept South American flights through MAD either by getting closer to IB and/or the major airlines from South America.

directorguy wrote:

IB flew to CAI and AMM for many years, but never BEY.
ME BEY MAD would do very well during the summer and holidays based on O&D as Spain is obviously a very popular destination though I think that BCN as a city has the edge.
Problem is ME's main partner is AF. They would need flights timed to intercept South American flights through MAD either by getting closer to IB and/or the major airlines from South America.

They have skyteam partner, Air Europa to connect with to SA.

directorguy is right, Iberia never flew to BEY.

The MAD-BEY flights were seasonal in the early 2000's. Red-eye flights arrived in BEY at 5 AM and left around 7 AM. Not daily, but around 4 or 5 weeklies.

directorguy wrote:

IB flew to CAI and AMM for many years, but never BEY.
ME BEY MAD would do very well during the summer and holidays based on O&D as Spain is obviously a very popular destination though I think that BCN as a city has the edge.
Problem is ME's main partner is AF. They would need flights timed to intercept South American flights through MAD either by getting closer to IB and/or the major airlines from South America.

Iberia started 3 weekly MAD-BEY in summer 2005.

http://www.elalmanaque.com/turismo/nota ... ota200.htm

Esta ruta será operada por un moderno birreactor Airbus A319 con capacidad para 120 plazas. El avión sale de Madrid los lunes, jueves y sábados a las 23:45 horas, para llegar a Beirut a las 5:15 horas de la mañana. El enlace de vuelta se realiza los martes, viernes y domingos, saliendo del aeropuerto internacional de Beirut a las 6:45 horas, llegado a Madrid a las 11:00 de la mañana.

It was cancelled in 2006 during the Israel–Hezbollah War, and never resumed.

According to wikipedia, MEA will resume BEY-MAD on 16 June 2018, no news about frequency, although I suppose there will be 3 Weekly flights

Is it me, or do MEA crew operate most of their flights as turn-arounds?

MEA will codeshare with Air Europa , they already offer MAD via FCO to BEY . It’s about time I am sick of having to connect via IST and arrive at indecent times 01:00 am or 03:00 . IB did operate as mentioned but was cancelled because of the 2006 war

OGLOBAL wrote:

MEA will codeshare with Air Europa , they already offer MAD via FCO to BEY . It’s about time I am sick of having to connect via IST and arrive at indecent times 01:00 am or 03:00 . IB did operate as mentioned but was cancelled because of the 2006 war

MEA will operate very convenient schedule:

MON/THU/SAT
DEP BEY 09:10 ARR MAD 13:15
DEP MAD 14:45 ARR BEY 20:10

[/quote]

MEA will operate very convenient schedule:

MON/THU/SAT
DEP BEY 09:10 ARR MAD 13:15
DEP MAD 14:45 ARR BEY 20:10[/quote]

3h05 for BEY - MAD and 4h25 for the return leg?

spinkid wrote:

flydude380 wrote:

Is it me, or do MEA crew operate most of their flights as turn-arounds?

For the Europe flights on single aisle aircraft then yes.

What if the flight is operated by a 330 into Europe? Also, do pilots fly both the 320 and 330 at MEA?

Thanks for your response btw.

spinkid wrote:

flydude380 wrote:

Is it me, or do MEA crew operate most of their flights as turn-arounds?

For the Europe flights on single aisle aircraft then yes.

I think they all turn-around except for the CDG, LHR and West Africa flights. I've seen the crew change at CDG multiple times, but they never change on the 332 at DXB.

cf105arrow wrote:

MEA will operate very convenient schedule:

MON/THU/SAT
DEP BEY 09:10 ARR MAD 13:15
DEP MAD 14:45 ARR BEY 20:10[/quote]

3h05 for BEY - MAD and 4h25 for the return leg?[/quote]


Above times in Local Time.

BEY-MAD: 5:05
MAD-BEY: 4:25


No idea on crew patterns and if nightstop or not.

Will it be seasonal flights, or year round? Will they codeshare on some of air Europa’s Latin American routes out of Madrid?

olba wrote:

spinkid wrote:

flydude380 wrote:

Is it me, or do MEA crew operate most of their flights as turn-arounds?

For the Europe flights on single aisle aircraft then yes.

I think they all turn-around except for the CDG, LHR and West Africa flights. I've seen the crew change at CDG multiple times, but they never change on the 332 at DXB.

I have seen them change cockpit crew but not cabin at BRU.

Ah, thanks guys. Long duty day indeed. European carriers on the other hand, night-stop their crew in BEY.

BA, probably night-stopping their crews the shortest length of time.

what will be interesting is that MEA flight could connect with Air Europa LATAM and US bound flights...plus with European and domestic Spain cities.
The most MEA could feed passangers into the Air Europa network connecting in Madrid , the better are the chances of this route to grow.
Madrid's Barajas airport is a great connecting point as well as a class-A airport with a huge growth capacity and many airlines should benefit from this

Flights are bookable as of today.